


The Challenge

by honeybee592



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-08
Updated: 2014-10-28
Packaged: 2018-02-20 08:19:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 24,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2421701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeybee592/pseuds/honeybee592
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James is on leave and gets an interesting message from a friend: a link to a 21 Day Sex Challenge. Cue three weeks of James and Dinah Shepard have weird sex and laughing a lot.</p><p>This was originally supposed to be a 30 day porn challenge, but I burned out. Didn’t want all the smut I’d already written to languish in my drafts folder, so dropped the list down to 21 prompts. Some work, some don’t. Exploration for everyone!<br/>Original list: <a href="http://chasingriversong.tumblr.com/post/39525363882/30-day-otp-porn-challenge">30 day otp porn challenge</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An interesting message

James lay back on the couch, flicking through his messages. He’d been deployed for the last three months chasing down Cerberus cells operating on the shady edge of the galaxy. Tough work, especially when the intel had wildly underestimated the level of resistance his squad should’ve been expecting. Didn’t matter now. They’d shut down three cells, blown up a comm tower, and rescued a ship of terrified human biotics. And his team had done all this with zero fatalities and only one minor injury--a personal record Commander Vega was very proud of.

Now he was home for a whole three weeks of much deserved and anticipated leave. Shepard had greeted him at the dock yesterday _very_ enthusiastically. They’d managed to get back to the house with most of their clothes still on. _Thank you, autopilot_. He’d only just escaped the bedroom to shower and eat an hour ago. Now he checked his messages, news threads, vid subscriptions. Three months’ worth. Shit.

He’d deleted most of the messages quickly--he had no need for home delivered groceries or Krogan virility pills. One message caught his eye though. From Tali, dated two weeks ago. Subject: ‘Spice things up’. He opened the message, eyebrow raised as he read through it, realising it wasn’t a referral to a recipe site.

*

Hey James,

Hope N7 is everything you thought it would be. I spotted this link advertised on my Fleet and Flotilla subscription. Garrus and I tried it and it did wonders to our, well, you know. Maybe you and Shep should give it a go. I’m sure the suggestions will work for humans, too.

When are you two coming to Rannoch? You’d love it. The sunsets are beautiful.

Anyway, here’s the link: [21 day sex challenge](http://chasingriversong.tumblr.com/post/39525363882/30-day-otp-porn-challenge)

\- Tali

*

What the? James followed the link to some women’s interest site. His eyes went wide as he read the blurb:

_Is your sex life stale? Are you just going through the motions? Sick of doing the same thing every time?_

No, our sex life is just fine, thank you. Surprised I can even walk this morning, James thought.

_Well it’s time to kick your sex into overdrive with this three week challenge!_

The article went on to list twenty one new and exciting ways to have sex. “Build trust and intimacy,” the author explained. “Rekindle your love and get your kink on!”

Couldn’t hurt to give it a go. Him and Shepard would be at it for his whole leave anyway. And Shepard happened to be the least adventurous lover James had ever known. Kinda weird since she had one of the most adventurous jobs in the galaxy. Not like he wasn’t happy with their sex. But maybe the article was right. This list might broaden their options. Get them out of their comfort zone and hey, if something didn’t work, they would always fall back on what they knew.

Even better, his leave lasted exactly twenty one days. He grinned, scanning the list. Yeah, yeah this could be fun. _Thanks Tali_.

“Hey Lola,” he called.

Shepard wandered in, drying her hair on a towel. _Dios_. She wore one of his tee shirts, and--she leaned to one side towelling off the longer strands--nothing else. The hem rode up her thigh, revealing a bare hip. Fuck, he wanted her again. Right now.

“Yeah?”

James tore his gaze away from Shepard’s groin and met her eyes.

“You up for a challenge?” He grinned, voice low.

Shepard sauntered over, dumped the towel and made herself comfortable, straddled over James’ lap. He explained the message from Tali, without actually saying it was from her. Shepard’s hands skated under his tee as he spoke, fingers trailing patterns on his abs.

“Sounds like we better get started,” she smirked, leaning in to press kisses against his neck. When the beginnings of his erection pressed into her abdomen, she sat back up. “What’s first?”

 James blinked a couple of times, shaking himself out of his lust addled fog to look at the list.

 “Uh. Anal.”

 “Fuck.”

 


	2. Anal sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: There's something both wonderful and terrifying about a sex challenge that dives right in with anal.

“So are you going to do me or am I going to do you?” Shepard asked, emptying a whole bag of freshly purchased personal lubricant onto the bed.

“Uh. Pretty sure you’ve noticed already, but I’m the one with the dick.” James shifted under the duvet, watching Shepard strip out of her clothes.

Shepard just smirked and waved her fingers at him.

James’ ass clenched on reflex. That wasn’t the response he was expecting. But then again...

“Ah, fuck it. Come at me then.” He grinned and flicked the corner of the duvet over, tipping his head back to beckon Shepard over. She returned his grin and jumped in.

*

They started slow. A long makeout session turned into something more physical, hands wandering over skin, pausing to tease and stroke before Shepard’s fingers skated down James’ ass. She stroked his entrance, gentle and teasing, waiting until James pushed back, wanting more. Then she slipped one lubed finger in and James groaned, sighing like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders and all that was left was him and Shepard and damn, why hadn’t they tried this earlier? She wiggled her finger about and he shivered from a pleasure unlike anything he’d experienced before.

Then that full feeling was gone. He turned his head, ready to demand that Shepard do it again but she was already ahead of him.

“Good?” she asked, lube bottle in one hand, poised, ready to squeeze.

“Yes.” It came out breathless, verging on desperate and Shepard laughed.

She slicked her fingers up again and James backed up, pushing his ass towards her, edging back on his hands and knees.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Uh huh,” he grunted. 

He felt the bed dip beside him as Shepard shifted, kneeling behind him, hand on one cheek, holding him open, thumb caressing his ass crack. She ran a lubed finger over his entrance, cicling it, then pushed in, slow.

James groaned, fisting the sheets, pushing back to meet her. Fuck, seriously, why had the never done this before? James blamed bad porn and scare stories and wasn’t his ass supposed to be on fire or something? His thoughts faltered as he felt a sting, a slight burn. He must’ve tensed up, because Shepard paused, stroking him back to relaxation. This time he sighed, pressing his forehead into the sheets as Shepard tried again. Two fingers. That’s what she was up to.

He opened his eyes and looked back, along the roof of muscle his chest made, down to his cock hanging heavy between his legs. He wanted to grab it, stroke himself while Shepard stretched him open but shifting his weight would upset the delicate balance of pleasure and ache. He could feel her fingers in him and he briefly wondered if this is what it felt like when his fingers were in her. Then Shepard curled her fingers, hitting some magic button buried in him. Tingles of pleasure shot out all over his body, straight to his neglected cock, down to his toes, up his spine. Shepard laughed at the undignified whine that escaped. She had no idea what she was doing to him. He’d have to return the favour. But not tonight. He was too close.

With her fingers still in him, Shepard let go of his ass and curled forward, trapping her hand between her body and him. She planted kisses on his sweaty back, murmuring her own little moans. Finally, with the spell broken, James took his weight on one elbow, grabbed her free hand and yanked it to his cock. She took hold of him, stroking in time with her fingers in his ass. He let go, limbs trembling as he pushed back, needing more. Shepard understood, moving both hands in tandem.

“Lola, shit, fuck, coming.” He pushed his face into the pillow, muffling his groan as he came in her hand and shook under her. She slowed down as he shuddered to a halt.

She pulled back, letting go of his dick and slowly removing her fingers. He whimpered, little pulses of pleasure still tingling over him. Then he slumped down, not caring that he’d landed in the wet patch. Shepard patted his ass lovingly, then shuffled up to sit up by his head.

“Good?” She grinned, running a finger over the lines of his tattoos.

He turned his head, looking up at her through lust fogged eyes. All he could do was let out another groan.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Shepard mussed his hair, scooted off the bed and out the door, leaving him to recover.

He didn’t even wake when she threw a wet cloth at him on her return, five minutes later.


	3. Awkward sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> slight injury, but no blood and nothing lots of kisses won't fix.

Everything was going according to plan. By the nature of the universe and the nature of the challenge, and the nature of _Shepard_ , something had to give. Soon. And how they were positioned right now, with Shepard hanging from the pull up bar in their makeshift gym, legs wrapped around James while he thrust into her, it was most likely going to be Shepard’s arms giving out.

As far as positions went, this was... okay. James liked having Shepard’s boobs right there, right within mouth reach, but he couldn’t get the leverage he needed to push hard. She’d swing away, no matter how tight he held on.

“Shit James, shit, I’m gonna--”

And there it was: the breakdown. Not the orgasm. Not Shepard letting go of the bar. Not James slipping and face planting. But a sneeze. That sudden jerking around his dick that _wasn’t_ her cunt signaling her orgasm. That painful yank that felt like his precious dick snapping in two. The sudden weight of Shepard letting go of the bar and falling into him, pushing him in deeper, harder in a way that was really not good at all. The unsubtle swipe of her nose against his shoulder. Then the laugh. The laugh was worse than the sneeze because it didn’t end in one yank. It kept going. Like an automatic unloading in his ear and around his cock.

He gritted his teeth, got a good grip on her and lifted her off, half dumping her while he groaned, gently taking his dick in hand, checking for damage.

Shepard lay on her back, continued to laugh. Apologies filtered out between breaths, a hand on his calf.

“I’m so sorry James. So sorry.” Shepard look up at him upside down. “You wanna keep going on the floor?”

“Uh. I think I’m done...” he replied, looking down at her with sad eyes. “I don’t think it’s broken. But I think it needs a break. I’m gonna…” He left Shepard on the floor and turned in a daze, heading out the door. That _definitely_ didn’t go as planned. Strike it down as a victory, then? he wondered, hand still cradling his most prized possession as he made for the shower.


	4. Bodily Fluids

Shepard leaned against James as he held the pad up they could both read it. Their heads tilted to the right as James tilted the pad on an angle, trying to figure out how to interpret the picture displayed on screen.

“What the hell?” His brow furrowed in confusion. The image showed a jumble of pink tentacles, pink squishy bodies, a pile of small blue spheres and clouds of white... stuff.

“Where’d you say you got this list?” Shepard asked, then took a swig from her beer bottle.

“I didn’t.” James shifted on the couch, resting on hand on Shepard’s thigh. More to settle himself than her. “So, uh, that’s how hanar reproduce.” He swallowed hard.

“So many tentacles. And fluids. Is that a cloud of spunk?” Shepard poked the screen, enlarging one section. How could she be so inquisitive? “Yep. That’s a lot of sperm swimming around.”

“So they all swim to a pre-ordained sex ground, have a massive orgy and jizz on a pile of eggs that they’ve laid themselves?”

“Looks like it.”

“Well, I’m never drinking water again.” James looked away.

“How do you want to embrace our bodily fluids? You wanna fill the bath up with the rest of that lube and writhe around in it? We could add blueberries. Make it authentic.” Shepard nudged James, then gave him a quick kiss.

“Sorry Lola. Really not feeling it. My dick’s still broken, anyway.” He passed her the pad and got up. He needed a drink.

“Oh hey, there’s a video! Woah, the eggs _glow_ when they're fertilised.” Shepard called out. “Wait, there’s audio.”

James took a beer from the fridge and popped the cap. He took a swig, his face flushed as pink as a hanar as a soft, synth-like hum hit his ears. The sound was way too intimate, like he was perving on some ancient spiritual tradition. He was sure that this wasn’t what The Challenge meant by bodily fluids. He'd been planning on sinking his fingers into Shepard, slicking them up, then slipping them out, sucking on them as she lay panting below him. But this hanar stuff? He couldn’t be more turned off if he imagined Hackett naked. _Shit_. He shook his head to rid himself of the image.

Shepard giggled from the living room.

“I’m going to bed now,” he called. “You know where to find me when you’re ready for two minutes of missionary, in the dark, with minimal eggs, contained jizz and no tentacles.” He wandered in the direction of their bedroom, shaking his head.

*

Shepard came to bed not too long after James had finished his beer. After wonderfully normal--and delicate--sex (lights on, Shepard on top, sperm contained in a condom, only four limbs), James lay spent, Shepard curled into his side. She nuzzled his ear, whispered, “This one thinks there wasn't enough fluids in that sex.”

James’ hand stilled on her shoulder. “No, Lola, there was just the right amount.”


	5. Bondage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. Now we get into the stuff that has them testing their comfort zones.
> 
> Super light bondage, in case that's not really your thing (maybe you prefer your bondage to be hardcore).

 “You gotta be the guinea pig on this one. No way you’re tying me up.” Shepard pulled the duvet up higher, crossing her arms to keep it in place.

“Fine with me, Lola,” James smirked. He’d been hoping Shepard would take the lead on this one. There was nothing quite as hot as being at the mercy of a gorgeous woman. He just hoped Shepard would feel comfortable enough to take charge.

They didn’t have to do anything fancy like the complicated knots and rope work that The Challenge showed links to. Though _that_ was something he’d have to look into one day. Next leave, maybe.

“Don’t need to tie you up against anything. We can just tie your hands behind your back. Think you’d be comfortable with that?” Shepard didn’t look at James while she spoke, concentrating instead on running a finger down the hatchings of the tattoo on his neck. So this wasn’t going to be a dominatrix style bondage thing. Well, James was a very hands on lover, so having them out of the game would be challenge enough.

“Whatever you want.”

“No. You’re the one who’s gonna be restrained. So you gotta be okay with however we do it.”

“So do you.”

*

They went for a scarf in the end. A really nice silk one that Tali had given Shepard. It had purple swirls, like Tali’s envirosuit. Shepard didn’t have occasion to wear scarves all that often, but she looked gorgeous in it. Hopefully James would be able to disassociate the memory of him being tied up with it from Tali.

James knelt up on the bed, naked, hands resting behind his back while Shepard fussed. Too loose. Then too tight. Finally, just right. He gave a tug. Yep, stuck. He grinned and a pang of lust shot along his cock. Shepard crawled back in front of him.

“Fuck, James. Doesn’t take much, does it?” She glanced at his dick then up at him. She was right, it didn’t take much for him to get hard around Shepard. Just _thinking_ about Shepard was enough. Thinking about her got him through many a lonely night out in the field. Having her right here in front of him, well, it took even less to get it up.

Shepard put a hand on his shoulder, pushed him down lightly so he knelt, ass on the bed between his feet, knuckles resting on the mattress. Then she leant in and kissed him softly. And even though he knew his hands were tied, he went to wrap his arms around her. Shepard noticed the aborted lunge. She grinned, squeezing his biceps as he tugged again.

“This could be fun.” She kissed him once more, lifting one leg over his thigh, straddling him. He could feel her sex against his skin, hot but not wet--yet, the scratch of her hair against the hair on his legs. She leant into him, pressing her chest to his, her hip grinding softly against his cock. She wrapped her arms around him to help keep them both steady and James pushed against her.

Shepard set up a rhythm, just riding his leg. James let her take what she needed from him, unable to slip his hand between her legs. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, hands trailing up his neck and into his hair, down his back, over the bunched muscle of his shoulder blades. She slid against his thigh with ease, slick now that she’d had time to get used to their position. She arched her back, pulling away from him, fingers laced behind his neck. She looked amazing, head thrown back, hair flowing down around her shoulders, neck bare, and her breasts right there in front of him. He bent down, dipping his head to take a nipple in his mouth. He swirled his tongue over the bud, sucking and kissing as Shepard groaned and arched into him more.

Her hip continued to rub against his cock but the friction wasn’t right. He desperately wanted a hand on him; hers, his, it didn’t matter but he couldn’t move and from the way Shepard was groaning and arching, he’d be in for a bollocking if he took his lips off her breast and tried to speak now.

But Shepard seemed to read his mind. She pulled back, his mouth leaving her breast with a wet pop and a groan as her hand wrapped around his dick and pulled. She shuffled over, straddling both his legs now, and fuck, with her wide like that she’d be open and ready for him.

“Touch yourself,” he croaked.

Shepard tilted her head to meet his eyes. Pupils blown, teeth pulling on her lower lip. The warmth of her hand left him and he glanced down. His cock lay hard against his abs, shifting against the back of her hand as she dipped between her legs.

“Tell me what it feels like.” James started his own thrust, gaining leverage against the back of her hand. It was just enough to edge him on while he watched her work herself.

“Good. Slick. Wet. All that.” Simple words, but she had trouble forming them, breathing them out through gritted teeth.

“Wanna taste you.” James groaned.

Shepard obliged, slicking her fingers before sticking them in James’ mouth. He sucked the tang off, rolled his tongue around as she moved forward, her sex sliding along the length of his cock.

“James. Fuck. Coming.”

She shuddered around him, fingers curling in his mouth, face buried in the side on his neck. James desperately wanted to hold her, stroke her through her orgasm. Instead, he nudged her with his head as she slowed her thrust, teeth scraping against her fingers just enough to remind her he was there. She slipped her fingers from his mouth, ran her thumb over his lower lip, leant against him for a moment, gathering her breath. The sex in the air caught in James’ nose, mixed with the taste of her still on his tongue as she shifted.

“More?” she asked, teasing the tip of his cock with her entrance.

“Uh huh. But, gotta move. Legs.” His quads ached from sitting so long and his ankles screamed out for a stretch.

Shepard swung off to let James shuffle back. He kicked his legs out awkwardly, tight muscles relaxing, toes tingling. He slumped back against the headboard, arms squished. Not much he could do about that though. Shepard crawled back up the bed, kneeling her way up either side of him, running her hands up over his shins, knees, and thighs, little waves of pleasure shooting over his skin at the hairs being rubbed the wrong way. She rolled a condom on, his dick still slick from her grinding against him. She knelt over him, hands on his broad shoulders, but before she sank down, she kissed him, long and slow. Her hands ran down his biceps, fingers curled around his triceps.

“You still good?” she asked, pulling back and gazing into his eyes.

“Yeah. Wanna wrap my arms around you though, feel you, hold you.” He smiled, dipped his head in for a kiss.

“I can undo the scarf,” she offered.

James lifted his chin. “No. Come on and fuck me.”

The softness in her eyes turned to steel, calculated to meet his challenge in his voice.

They both groaned at the fit as James eased inside. Relief washed over him as she sank down, that familiar tightness around his cock making him shiver. Shepard sat still for a moment before slowly rising almost all the way off, then dropped back down. She did it again and again and each time James pushed up the best he could to meet her but it wasn’t enough. The slow up and down set him on edge and he pulled against his restraint.

Shepard smiled. “Having fun?”

“You’re such a tease,” he replied.

“Now you know what it’s like,” she grinned, bearing down on him and kissing him hard. Shit, did he know what she meant. James could push Shepard to the brink and then pull back over and over again. It drove her wild, having her crying out when she finally found her release. And now she was doing the same to him and god-damn, he just wanted to push her over, plant his elbows on either side of her body and plough her like a fucking field.

Shepard knew what she was doing though, so after another agonisingly slow lift and drop, she sped up, clenching her muscles. Shit, perfect, just what he needed. She had one hand on his hip, the other on his shoulder as she rode him. He pushed forward, meeting her chin and lips in a sloppy kiss and again yanked at the scarf. Her chin brushed against his stubble, tongue making haphazard contact with his and, oh shit, he was coming. He jerked his head back, hitting the wall with a smack as Shepard held on tight with her hands and her cunt.

She stroked him down from his high, kissing his neck, sucking his earlobe, breath warm on his sweat soaked skin. James watched with a lazy gaze as Shepard climbed off, rolled the condom off and wrapped it in a tissue, chucked it in the direction of the bin. A shiver passed through him as she kissed him.

“Gonna untie me now?” he asked between her kisses.

“Hmm. I suppose.”

He leant forward, started shuffling on his ass but Shepard shoved him over and he squarked, flopping undignified on his side.

“Thanks, Shepard,” he mumbled into the sheets. The silk slid away from his wrists and he pushed himself up, shaking his arms out, stretching them.

While Shepard had her back turned, he lunged at her, tackling her from behind, wrapping his arms around her--at last--and pulling her down onto the bed. Shepard shrieked as he held her down, laughing into his kisses. He pulled the blanket up, both of them shifting about to get underneath. Shepard rolled over and backed up against James’ chest. James pulled her into him, holding her lightly, hand splayed out over her belly.

“Success?” she asked.

“Success.” He sighed.


	6. Breath play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not quite what it says on the tin.

“I already know what it’s like to lose my breath, Lola. I just have to look at you.” James smiled so sweetly at Shepard.

She rolled her eyes and thumped him on the arm. “You’re disgusting.”

She leant in, ran her hand up his chest, over his collar bone, fingers curling around his neck, thumb resting gently on his Adam’s apple. He swallowed, felt her thumb move with the motion. The sparkle from her eyes had gone, replaced by a frown.

“James, if you wanna know what it’s like to not be able to breathe, then by all means, get one of the training officers to stick you in the space walk sim without a suit for three minutes.” She paused. “Or get flung into outer space with a cut oxygen line. It’s not arousing at all. Trust me, I’ve tried it.” Her attempt at a dry joke failed as her voice waivered.

James’ stomach lurched, realising what she meant. He took her hand in his, pulling her hand off his neck and pressing his lips to her fingers. “Sorry, Lola. I--”

“No, it’s fine. Happened years ago. Done plenty of space walks since then. No problem. Just, not the best memory to have while having sex.” Shepard smiled softly, letting James know she was fine, okay.

She kissed him gently, lips meeting, nose brushing the side of his. Her little roll of the hips let him know the mood hadn’t been completely killed. But James couldn’t help but think about what had happened to Shepard back in ‘85. They’d never spoken about it. A few oblique questions of the crew back on the _Normandy_ hadn’t gotten him anywhere. And he’d never ask her, so he’d let it drop. Once they’d been together for as long as they had, he’d kinda forgotten that she’d been spaced. The only time he’d seen Shepard falter out in space was back on the Geth Dreadnaught. But that was only for a second. She was right, she’d done plenty of space walks since then, battles, even. One of them with him too.

“Come on, soldier. We’ve got a challenge to meet.” Shepard grinned, kissing him hard this time, dragging a hand down his side while the other curled in the back of his neck. He growled and pushed forward, meeting her demands with hot kisses of his own.

He let her call the shots tonight, let her take from him what she needed. She took her time but he didn’t mind. So he was surprised, while she sat over his lap meeting his thrusts, when she grabbed his hand and pulled it to her throat, fingers over his, saying “just stay”. He didn’t squeeze or push. Her neck was hot to his clammy palm and he felt her throat vibrate as she ground out his name. He pushed up into her, other hand splayed wide, holding steady on her thigh.

“James,” she groaned again. Her hand crept to his throat and she mirrored his action, just lightly touching, resting. But it didn’t feel right, he felt constricted even though he knew he wasn’t. He shook his head, mumbled a ‘no’ and she slid her hand down to his collar bone. His hand slipped from her throat around to the back of her neck and pulled her down on top of him, burying his face in her neck, breathing in her scent.

“Harder,” Shepard said, tilting to the side, pulling him over on top of her.

And James obliged, giving her what she wanted till they both lay spent and panting.


	7. Corsets

Liara had come through for Shepard, like she knew she would. This one had taken a bit of forward planning and Liara was the only one Shepard could trust with the surprise.

She’d greeted Shepard at the dock with a sly grin and a single bag hefted over her shoulder. Shepard blushed, knowing what was in that bag. With a big hug and a kiss to the cheek, they linked arms, sharing another smirk as they walked to the skycar lot.

*

Shepard sucked in a breath as Liara pulled on the laces at her back. God damn, this hurt more than she thought it would.

“Too tight?” Liara asked, sensing Shepard’s discomfort.

“Fine,” Shepard replied with a whine.

Liara paused in her work. “I hope James appreciates the effort you are going to. You human women have a strange history of making yourselves uncomfortable for the benefit of men. I do not understand.”

Shepard nudged Liara, encouraging her to continue her lacing. “I don’t get it either, Liara.” She looked down at her chest, at the swell of her breasts as they pushed up out of the corset. She smiled. _I look like a… a princess. Yeah. A sexy princess._ “But it’s not all about what the men want. Sometimes it’s about what we want, too.” She jerked back as Liara yanked again. Her ribs ached already. _A sexy princess who can’t breathe._

Shepard let Liara finish her work in silence, listening to the tutts and huffs going on behind her. Then all went still.

“Okay. I think I’m done.” Liara turned Shepard around, grinning madly. “Oh. Shepard. You look beautiful.”

Shepard smiled back, looking down again and running her hands over the red satin stripe down her middle. _Yeah. A fucking bad-ass N7 princess who can rescue herself._

“Will he be able to get you out of it?” Liara asked. She drew two fingers down the white stripes flanking the centre red one.

“I’m not sure he’ll want to,” Shepard replied. “Can you stick around? Just in case I can’t get out?”

“Of course, Shepard. You know how to fine me. Go. Have fun.” Liara rested her hand on Shepard’s shoulder before leaving.

Alone now, Shepard bent to pick up her hoodie and jarred at the stab of pain in her guts. God damn. She couldn’t be a bad-ass N7 princess if she didn’t have full manoeuvrability. Or anywhere to strap a rifle. With some difficulty and much self-deprecating laughter, she managed to get her underwear changed and pull her jeans and hoodie on.

Time to find James. Hopefully before her lungs implode.

*

James sat back on the couch, pulling on his beer and absently watching the game on the vid screen. He checked his omni again. Shepard said she’d taken care of today’s challenge, told him not to think too much about it. Well, you can’t just tell a guy that when he knows that corsets are involved.

The front door chimed and James turned to see Shepard wander in. She wore civvies and for a second he frowned, disappointed, ‘till he realised that she wasn’t exactly going to wander in from outside dressed only in a corset. She had this look on her face, like she was trying to hold in a secret and failing. Badly.

“Hey Jimmy,” she called.

“Dinah,” he replied, equally coy.

They kept their eyes on each other as she walked around to stand in front of him. Her coy expression made his stomach flip. Her attempt at innocence had devolved into a full on wicked grin as she stood just out of reach, hand on her cocked out hip. James rushed to turn the vid screen off, concentrate on the woman in front of him.

“I’ve got something to show you,” she lilted.

James swallowed hard, nodded.

She toed her shoes off, peeled away her socks, brought both hands up to the zip of her hoodie and tugged, slowly.

James mouth went dry as her cleavage came into view, then the fabric below. Confusion flicked through him as more was revealed. Was this a corset, or yet another N7 singlet? No, definitely a corset; her boobs didn’t heave out the top of the neckline when she wore a singlet. She unzipped the hoodie fully, pulling her arms back it so could slip off and pool on the floor. _Shit_. Right down the middle, with buttons along the length of the corset ran a wide red stripe, flanked on either side with two white stripes. They highlighted the curve of her body, accentuating her slim abdomen. Black satin shimmered around her flank, pinching in just above her waist and flaring out at her hips.

“Shit,” he whispered. He couldn’t say anything else, couldn’t even think of anything more eloquent.

Shepard grinned, unzipping her jeans and wiggling out of them. Long legs emerged from a pair of plain black briefs. Only they weren’t plain. She rested her hand on her hip again, tilting her body toward him just a fraction, enough to reveal the simple detail on the side: another telltale three stripes.

She laughed, breaking James out of his trance.

“They don’t sell those in the N7 store,” he said, running his gaze up and down her again.

“I had some help.” Then she turned and he saw the back. All that black satin smooth against her skin and laces, _red_ laces, crisscrossing their way up, pulled so tight. She couldn’t have gotten into that herself. A pang of jealousy shot through him at whoever got to help her. He’d quiz her later. Right now…

“C'mere.” He reached forward, snagging her hip, pulling her in.

She laughed again and that sound made his heart flutter. Maybe it was what she was wearing, too. She knelt her way up his lap, curling her hands around the back of his neck. He managed to keep his eyes on hers, avoid staring those breasts that begged for attention at the bottom of his vision. He ran his hands up her sides, over the cool satin, thumbing over the cups covering her breasts then onto the matt skin. _So soft_. He ran his hands down her back, settled on her ass, then leant forward and kissed the top of each breast, dipped his tongue into her cleavage before pulling back and just gazing up at Shepard.

“You like it?” she asked, shaking her ass.

James didn’t answer. He hooked his arms under her legs and hoisted her up as he stood. She held on, but fell forward, his face pressed in to her breasts, hands splayed over his back. Good thing he knew the path to the bedroom by heart.

She whispered in his ear, told him to be gentle so he lay her down on the bed as carefully as he could.

He stared that the vision in front of him: Shepard’s knees pulled up and leaning to one side, showing off the delicious mass of her thigh; the black, white and red of the corset, those breasts, _dios, those breasts_ ; her arms laid back, hands linked above her head and her hair a dark halo across the pillow.

He crept up the bed, not even bothering to pull his clothes off yet. She let him push her knees apart and he ran his hands down her thighs, thumbs skirting the soft skin, the taut muscle. She lifted her hips when he reached her underwear, letting him slide them off. He took his time stroking her, drawing his fingers through her folds, through her hair just above. With his other hand he caressed the satin of the corset, surprised by how stiff it was underneath. He’d been expecting the hard of her muscle, not the ridges he felt now.

“It’s not bone,” Shepard said, sensing his confusion.

That comment only left him more confused. He paused in his touches and looked up her as she continued.

“Traditionally it is. But this is hard moulded plastic. Had a strict deadline to meet.” She ran her hand down the buttons on the red centre stripe, meeting his cupped between her legs.

He pressed down with the flat of his hand, felt and heard her suck in a breath. “Is it comfortable? I mean, it looks… wow. But, can you breathe?”

Shepard laughed. “My guts are being squished beyond all recognition, my ribs ache. So no. Not comfortable.”

“Why’d you do it then?” he asked, pulled back on his knees.

Shepard just waved a hand down her body. Yeah, he got it. But still.

“You want me to unlace you? Who did it up, anyway?”

Shepard eased up on her elbows, swung her legs out off the side of the bed. James joined her.

“A lady never tells.” She grinned, stretching her back. “You can unlace me, but you have to get out of your clothes first.”

James was all too happy to comply. His eyes never left hers as he pulled his shirt off, shucked his pants. Once naked, he stood before her, pulling her to her feet and turning her around. She pulled her hair over her shoulder, revealing her back. James ran his fingers over the satin. The lace was easy to undo. Just a bow, then loosening off the thread. Shepard turned around, looking much more comfortable. She directed his hands to the buttons on the front.

“Hey, wait. Can we… can we do it like this?” he asked. He wanted her to lie under him as pushed in. Wanted to stroke that satin, feel the hard ridges and kiss her breasts.

“Yeah. Yeah, okay.” Shepard let out a breath. “Feels much better now anyway.” She flopped back on the bed and beckoned him down. He sank between her legs, exploring her with his lips and nose and fingertips.

Once he’d left her panting and moaning his name, he shuffled up, teased her entrance with his sheathed cock.  But before nestling in, he just took a moment to look down at Shepard, take in the sight. He didn’t care where’d she’d gotten the corset or who had laced her in anymore. She was right here, encased in satin. Gorgeous. Deadly.


	8. Dominance/Submission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I winced the whole time I wrote this because it is cliché as fuck. Got it to work in the end. 
> 
> And don’t talk to me about ranks and epaulettes. Just accept what I’ve gone with.

James dropped to the ground, cracking his neck and shaking his arms out. One hundred pull ups. Not bad. He’d also done one hundred crunches and one hundred push ups. Now he was sweaty, exhausted and in need of a shower. He wiped his face on a towel and froze when he saw Shepard standing in the doorway wearing her dress blues, all her medals pinned to her chest, the four epaulettes of Captain on her shoulder. She even wore the cap. Her face was stony.

“Attention!” she snapped.

Oh, so that’s how she's gonna to play it. He snapped his back straight, arms by his sides, clicked his heels together.

Shepard hid a smirk and walked up, stood toe to toe and leaned her head back to scowl at him. He kept his gaze steady, focusing on a spot in the middle distance. He didn’t dare peer down at her.

She backed away, hands at rest behind her back, and circled him. Slowly. She finished her inspection, coming to a stop in front again. A trickle of sweat beaded down James’ side, tickling him. He flinched. Tried to regain his composure, blinking hard and biting down on his bottom lip. Shepard caught it.

“Something funny, Commander Vega?” she asked.

“No ma’am.”

A beat. Then, “At ease.”

James shifted his feet out, tucked his hands behind his back, like Shepard’s. ‘At ease’ never meant ‘relax’. It just meant ‘stand there and look stupid.’

“Off the record,” Shepard said, voice low, uncertain. “You, uh, you say the word if you need to, okay?”

James snapped his gaze from the wall to her. “What’re you going to do to me?” he asked.

“Nothing crazy. Just, if it gets too...” She waved her hand in the air. Seemed like she was giving herself an out as well.

James nodded.

Shepard steeled herself, straightened her back, got her head back in the game. For all her command experience, she was never the drill sergeant type. She’d pull rank only when she had to and she only ordered her subordinates around because she was in charge. But she never went for the whole ‘drop and give me twenty’ routine.

“Drop and give me twenty,” she ordered.

Well shit. James did as he was told, despite his aching muscles. Twenty pushups. Easy. Nothing he couldn’t handle.

He paused on the last one, sucking in a breath, mentally preparing himself for whatever she had planned, then stood up. He raked his eyes over her uniform but focused on that middle ground after she glared at him. Damn, she filled out those blues like no body’s business. His cock twitched in his shorts.

“Strip.”

Well, she didn’t say how fast, so James took his sweet time, flexing at all the right moments. He peeled his singlet off, letting it dangle on his finger before dropping it on the floor. He kicked off his shoes and peeled off his socks, then hooked his thumbs into the sides of his shorts, pulling them down and stepping out. Finally he shimmied out of his briefs. He stood at attention, naked, and now half hard, avoiding her appraising stare. _Please don’t make me fold my kit_. He was shit at folding his clothes. Couldn’t keep the creases in his trousers to save his life.

Shepard circled him again, making another inspection. She paused at his back and he felt her finger trace the N and the 7 of his tattoo. The sweat had dried, her finger rubbing along the skin. He couldn’t suppress the shiver at her touch, but she didn’t say anything. She finished her circuit and stood before him again.

“N7 huh?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“You think you’re hot stuff then, big guy?”

“No ma’am. Just a grunt who follows orders,” he replied, taking the piss.

Shepard ignored him. Stepped forward instead. Ran her finger over his lips and chin, along his throat, down the middle of his chest, over his abs, dipping into his navel, and through the trail of hair. She came to a stop at the base of his cock, then gripped it, tugging hard. James swallowed his gasp. Her hand was just what he needed but he forced himself to suppress the desire to wrap his arms around her and pull her close. All too soon she let go and stood back.

Sweat prickled over James again as Shepard unbuttoned her jacket and draped it over the punching bag. She didn’t loosen her tie or any of the shirt buttons. But she did pop the buckle on her belt and the dome on her fly. James gulped, really hoping this would go in the direction he thought it would.

“On your knees.”

He dropped to his knees, cock bobbing as he sank down. Shepard beckoned him over with a curled finger. He reached her, his face level with her crotch, only centimeters away, and damn he could smell her already, he looked up and met her eyes. Not quite glazed and black yet, but getting there.

“Listen up.” A flicker of a grin passed her face before it set hard again. “New mission. Priority...Hands Free. Get me off using only that tongue of yours. Those hands stay behind you.”

James grinned despite himself. This was going _exactly_ how he hoped it would. And it was so unlike his Lola. She only ever ordered him about on the battlefield and never with that level of heat underpinning her commands. He realised with a pang just how long it’d been since they’d last fought together. But then Shepard was unzipping her fly, pushing her trousers and briefs down. Her trousers sank to her knees with the weight of her belt, those black Alliance briefs tight around her thighs. He could see how wet she was already. Her shirt hung loose, hem brushing the top of that soft triangle of hair.

He leaned in, hands clasped behind his back, resting against the swell of his ass. Shuffling forward on his knees to keep his balance, he buried his nose in her groin, just inhaling the scent. Then he planted a kiss on her thigh and dove in with one long lick. Shepard trembled around him. He wasn’t expecting her to be so turned on already. He’d have to pace himself if she was to last more than a minute. He wasn’t bragging. He really could get her off that quick. They’d timed it once: one minute, two seconds. Then again, he didn’t know what she had planned for his dick. Maybe he’d get to come soon, too, if she came now. Or maybe she’d make him zip and buckle her back up, make him put his sweaty gross gym gear back on, leave him with a raging hard on.

He licked and sucked, craning his neck, glancing up every now and then to watch her. Sometimes she met his eye, mostly though they remained tightly closed. She kept quiet. Usually so vocal, this silence unnerved him. He started to doubt his abilities but she’d started a light thrust and he pushed his tongue into her. His hands twitched behind him, itching to grip her ass. But he was a good marine and he stuck to his mission brief.

Her cunt started dripping and her legs started shaking. Her trousers dropped to her ankles. James gave his neck a break, nosing her instead, figuring she was so far past it she wouldn’t mind him breaking the ‘tongue only’ order. She liked his nose anyway. A majorly underutilised part of the body, in his mind.

Precome leaked out his cock and he ached to jerk himself, rub himself. Anything. But he couldn’t. Shepard’s hand raked through his hair, settling at the back, fingers scratching his scalp. He could tell she wanted to push him forward, hold him in place, but she was too polite for that, even within their current game. So he took the initiative and went in for the final push, licking up from her cunt to her clit, tongue flicking when he reached the top. The fingers on the back on his head went still, just keeping him in place lightly. Her thighs trembled and she groaned his name, quiet, but loud enough for him to know she was right there. She pushed into him and shook, and there it was: Shepard coming with James’ face buried between her legs. His favourite place.

“Okay. Okay.” She breathed out long, slow.

James shuffled back, face soaked. He grinned up at her, licked his lips ‘cause he knew she liked that. Shepard squeezed her eyes shut, features fighting for composure. When she opened her eyes, she adjusted her cap and cleared her throat, all business again. Not over, yet.

“Fix me up, please. I mean…” Shepard waved a hand at her briefs and trousers.

James complied, free at last to use his hands. The glare he got for his blatant grope as he pulled her briefs and trousers over her ass didn’t quite have the threat that it would’ve earlier.

“Stand up.”

He didn’t realise just how sore his legs were until he went to stand. But he managed it with only a slight sway. Without Shepard’s cunt to distract him, he became acutely aware of how hard he still was, left aching for so long without any contact.

Shepard pointed at his dick. “I suppose we should do something about that, shouldn’t we.”

“Would be appreciated, ma’am.”

Shepard smirked and stepped forward. With one hand on his shoulder, the other pulled on his cock. She started a steady rhythm, pumping him just the way he liked. _Fuck_. His eyes drifted shut, bit his lip.

“Look at me.”

James cracked his eyes open, saw her satisfaction, the grin turning his insides to jelly. 

“Shit Shepard, I’m coming,” he muttered. Then he wasn’t. His cock bobbed against him, Shepard’s hand gone. _What the—?_

“James,” Shepard gripped his chin and held it down so he had to look at her. “I swear to all the gods that live in this galaxy, that if you get _any_ spunk on this uniform then you’ll be the one to take it to the cleaners. Understand?”

“Yes! Okay, please. I was right there!” he whined.

She grabbed his forearm, pulling it around, wrapping his hand over his dick. He took over, jerking himself, keeping his other hand cupped over the head. And he came, hard into his hands, body shaking, groaning loud.

When he’d stopped shaking, Shepard threw his singlet at him.

“Clean yourself up and hit the showers, Commander Vega.” Shepard saluted and James returned with his own, not quite as crisp as it could’ve been. For a second it looked like Shepard was gonna ream him out over it. Just she snapped her arm down and did an about face, leaving James alone in their gym, clutching his singlet in both hands.

He _definitely_ wouldn’t be able to look at her wearing those blues the same way again.


	9. Sex Toys

James flicked through a few of the sex toy sites The Challenge had recommended. Some were garish, filled with naked and very fake looking women wearing the sort of gear that would make even a Purgatory stripper blush. But there was one site, subdued colours, with normal looking models of a range of species, and a cute heart logo that also kinda looked rude, too. Their range of toys covered all tastes. And they even had a store not far from where they lived.

“Yeah, it’s in the mall. Doesn’t look sleazy at all,” Shepard said when James gave her the pad.

“What’re we waiting for then? Let’s go!” James jumped off the couch, grabbed his boots and jacket. Shepard followed, pulling on her hoodie.

*

Shepard was right. This wasn’t your average sleazy triple-x sex shop. It felt familiar and inviting, discreet with its lighting and window displays. They wandered in and James blushed, his dick twitched involuntarily at all the suggestive items on display. Shepard took his hand, holding it tight. The few other people in the store all stared intently at the products in front of them, pointedly ignoring everyone else.

After a few minutes of suppressed laughter over hanar shaped jelly filled vibrators, James started to relax. Then a clanking of metal screeched out behind them. Shepard whirled around, seeing the roller doors descend and the windows dim. Both of them went for their concealed side arms, crouched against a shelf of, wait, what kind of dicks were those? James kept glancing between the lurid not-human dildos on the shelf by his head and the rest of the store. The place was empty except for him, Shepard, and the asari behind the counter. Where’d all the customers go? They’d just been here. James assessed their options. Getting out wouldn’t be pretty. The entire wall of mall-facing windows looked like their only exit. Would be a shoot and smash job. There was a door behind the till, at right angles to the windows. Probably just a store room. James glanced at Shepard, hoped that N7 hoodie she wore had reinforced weave. He also hoped Shepard wouldn’t mind being his shield because he had no protective clothing on.

The asari couldn’t see them, it seemed. She peered around, walking out from behind the counter, looking for her only customers.

“Hello?” she called.

Shepard peeked around a shelf, turned back and gave James a thumbs up. She gripped the stock of her pistol and stood. James followed suit, adrenaline pumping through him.

“Why have you closed the shop?” Shepard asked, cool.

The asari took a step back, clearly startled by the Shepard scowl.

“Um, well, you’re Commander Shepard, right?” she asked, rubbing her hands together, shoulders hunched, eyes wide.

“Captain Shepard. What’s it to you?”

“Sorry. Of course.” She stared at James. “And you’re, sorry, you’re probably not a lieutenant anymore. But you’re Comm--Captain Shepard’s bull dog, right?” she laughed a nervous laugh at James’ raised eyebrow. “Well, that’s what they call you. Vega, isn’t it?”

Bull dog? James had been called many things over the years. Some nicer than others. Bull dog. He thought of himself as more a tiger. Or a bear. A tiger-bear--

“He’s not mine. He’s his own man.” Shepard ground out.

“Of course, of course... Just, I don’t often get celebrities--heroes just walking in off the street. I thought you’d probably want some… privacy… while you browse.”

Oh.

Shepard glanced at James. He shrugged one shoulder. Seemed genuine. Shepard took his cue and relaxed too, tucking her pistol away.

The asari saw their change in body language, the threat of being eviscerated now close enough to zero. She hurried over. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I just, well, sex can be a touchy subject, right?” she laughed nervously again.

“If you’re not touching, you’re doing something wrong.” James muttered. The asari had heard him and giggled. She flushed a deep blue. How cute.

The three of them stood awkwardly. The asari glanced from Shepard to James while Shepard looked around, checking her exits, James thought.

“May I be of assistance?” The asari asked, breaking the silence. “I’m very knowledgeable on human bodies and what works well for your species. Discreet, too. No one will know what you’ve been looking at, or purchasing, unless you tell them yourselves.”

“We’re looking for, I don’t know.” Shepard looked to James for back up.

“Stuff. Things,” he offered. Those non-human dicks had caught his eye again.

“Real eloquent, James,” Shepard muttered.

“Okay. So, beginners, yes?” the asari asked. She received two dumb nods in return. “Follow me.”

*

An hour later and they’d left the shop with one small bag each. Once Shepard had relaxed, got into the groove of handling dildos and vibrating eggs, she’d gone nuts, wanting one of almost everything in the store, including the krogan mannequin demonstrating how a certain studded leather thong would look on said krogan. Much to James’ relief, the asari directed Shepard’s attention to more practical items.

She’d gone for a vibe and a dildo in the end. The vibrator was shaped like an egg, blue, and looked like the sort of holiday souvenir that would be at home on the mantel piece. “Great for the clitoris!” the asari enthused. The dildo; bigger, longer, dick shaped, and flared at the base, “Gets in right on the g-spot. Great for anal, too! Comes highly recommended.” She’d demonstrated its g-spot stimulating abilities while James snickered at the double entendre.

James ambled away as the two women discussed size and technique like they were old girlfriends at a bar for the night. As he perused the shelves, a row of small, bullet shaped items caught his eye. They came in all colours, some of them matt, some of them glossy. He picked one up, turned it over. Felt like silicone. He put it down and picked up another, this one silver and shiny. And _heavy_.

“Ah, you’ve found the butt plugs!” The asari stood next to James, appraising the array of plugs on offer.

Shepard sidled up next to him and bumped his shoulder, picking up one of the plugs similar to the one he held.

“That is one of our most popular plugs. Made of 316 stainless steel, it’s high quality, long lasting, easy to clean and _very_ comfortable.” The asari finished her speech with a little nod and a big grin.

“I’ll take it.” He didn’t need to think about it. Shepard bumped his shoulder again, had a silly little grin on her face.

As the asari rang up the items, wrapped and bagged them, Shepard leaned against James, hand ghosting down his back to grab at his ass. Without drawing any attention to them, he wrapped one arm around her, stroking his hand down her side, slipped his hand into her back pocket and squeezed. The asari looked up, her task finished, smiled at both of them, handing them one bag each once Shepard had paid.

“Have fun,” she said, pushing a button on her till to open the door. “Come back any time. I’ll be happy to help.”

Shepard nodded once, James gave his thanks, and they wandered out, still with their arms wrapped around each other, back into the mall without anyone even glancing their way.

“So when are we going to try these things out?” James whispered, leaning down to kiss the top of Shepard’s head.

“As soon as we get home,” Shepard replied, giving his ass a slap.

“Better hurry then.” He scooped her up, threw her over his shoulder while she gave an indignant squawk, and made his way back to the skycar as quickly as he could. They had toys to play with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No smut, but don’t panic. The sex toys will get a show really soon.


	10. Gags

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this prompt to work.
> 
> James, you adorable idiot.

Shepard’s lips twisted into a grimace, fingers tight on the sides of the datapad as she reread the words.

 _Day nine. Gags_.

She hadn’t been keen on the bondage idea, but that’d worked out fine. And ordering James around the other day, well that’d been hot. James’ enthusiasm had certainly helped. So’d treating it like a game, pretending to be someone she wasn’t. But gags? They just made her think of hostages. Or having a mouthful of food, then seeing something funny and snorting it all out over the vidscreen. _That_ thought made her laugh. James nudged her, asked her what was so funny.

“This,” she said, motioning with the pad. “Us. I mean, I pulled a _gun_ in a sex shop. Who does that? And I now own an N7 corset. And we’re not even halfway through this list! What’s next? Doing it in the Admiralty Board Room?”

James sucked a sharp breath through his teeth. “Funny you should mention that...”

Shepard’s objection stuck in her throat as James dipped in for a quick kiss.

“Deal with it when we come to it.” Another kiss, an arm around the shoulder. “Right now, gags are on offer. And since neither of us are ripping our clothes off to make one, I’m gonna hazard a guess that we’re gonna pass on this one.”

“So, you’re not interested?” Shepard asked with a hopeful lilt.

“Nah,” James replied. “Too close to home. Had to untie these asari last mission.” He shuddered. “Hey. You wanna drop flash bangs in the toilet block?”

What? Shepard raised an eyebrow, struggled to follow the segue.

“It’s a gag. You know, a practical joke.” He nudged her. “And it’s fuckin’ funny. You ever done that? So much fun.” James laughed at some close held memory.

Oh, right. _That_ kind of gag. Trust James to deflect with a joke. Shepard frowned. “What if we get caught?”

“Shepard,” James chided. “That tac cloak ain’t just for show.”

Risky. But the payoff would be entertaining. But...“When’re _we_ gonna bang?” Shepard asked.

“Oh, don’t you worry, Lola. There’ll be banging all right. The earth will _move_.” He had that puppy dog grin. The one that melted Shepard’s heart.

“James, you’re on fire.”

James licked his finger, pressed it to his chest. “Tsss. Smokin’.”


	11. Double Penetration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never has double penetration been so saccharine. And I'm so sorry for the pun at the end.

Shepard winced. “Slowly, slower, shit fuck.”

James backed off, let her take over. Shepard lay on her back, legs wide, James mesmerised as she slowly slipped the dildo into her ass. He felt perversely proud of her efforts. She’d not done this before and had gone in with the kind of preparation she would for any other mission. Just like the first day of The Challenge, she filled herself with intel, reading up, finding out what should happen, interrogating James on what it’d felt like when she’d had her fingers in his ass for the first time, just last week.

Only the base showed now and James grinned. Seeing her full like this was different, new. And now he’d get his turn. Shepard pulled on the dildo, starting up a slow thrust, getting used to the feeling.

“It’s kinda fucking good,” she laughed.

“Told you. You didn’t believe me.” James crept forward, put his hand over hers, pulling the dildo almost all the way out, watched Shepard’s eyes fall closed as he pushed it back in. He did it again, had her squirming. Had her gasping when he leaned over her and thumbed her nipple with his free hand. He kept up a slow and steady pace, watching Shepard lose it under him.

“Come on,” she groaned.

He let go of the dildo, trusting her to hold it in place. He stroked his fingers over her parted lips, marveling at how soft and velvety they were, how she’d get so wet from him. Then, bracing himself with one arm locked, hand planted by her side, he lined himself up and slipped in, easy.

Dios, she felt good. They both moaned as the familiar comfort washed over them. But there was something extra. James could _feel_ the dildo in her ass and holy hell was that something else. It moved against him as he thrusted, and once he’d got his groove on, he felt Shepard’s hand move under him, fucking herself with the dildo as he fucked her.

Shepard’s free hand skated over his back, squeezing his shoulders. One leg wrapped around his ankle, rubbing against his leg hairs, sending tingles up his body. Then her hand was on his ass, grabbing muscle. He pulled up, pausing to lift her leg onto his shoulder. He could see her better this way, watch her face, those eyes black, her hair wild. She bit down on a moan, hand working under him, working that dildo in and out. He felt it differently at this angle, hitting him, and her, in all the right places. He slid a hand down her thigh, finger rubbing her clit. She jerked under him, crying out his name.

That was enough for him. He felt the tension build in his balls, ready to let go. Almost there, so close. Shepard slid her hand up his back, round his neck, over his head. He leant into the touch, and groaned, letting go, coming.

Shepard let go of the dildo, held his ass instead, letting him ride it out. He shuddered to a halt above her. For a moment he just gazed down at her while she gazed back. They stank of sex and he drank it in. He felt a bizarre mix of incredibly dirty for fucking like that, and wonderfully relaxed for having just come.

Shepard let her leg down from his shoulder, pushed him back. He knelt back between her legs, watched as she slipped the dildo back out. Her skin was slick with lube and her own juices.

“I’m fucked,” she said, slipping her legs down and throwing an arm over her eyes.

“Doubly so, huh,” James replied.

“Hey, only I do the bad jokes,” she mumbled from under her arm.


	12. Getting caught having sex

This wasn’t very fair on Kaidan. They knew it but they couldn’t help it. They couldn't think of another way of deliberately getting caught that wouldn’t have them a) getting a slap on the hand from the brass, or b) having their bare asses flashed over the entire extranet. They were more concerned about the latter, but still, getting caught in the showers down at the barracks would not go down well. So here they were, mostly naked, lying on the couch, Shepard on top of James, getting more hot and heavy than they’d planned for while they waited for Kaidan to turn up for dinner. They’d invited him specially. Told him the door would be open, “so just come on in.”

“Lola, if he doesn’t turn up in the next minute then I’m just gonna have to come, because, _fuck_ , the way you do--”

“Hey? Hey, oh...shit.”

They glanced up at the voice behind their heads. James looked at Kaidan upside down while Shepard froze.

Kaidan just stared at them open mouthed. He blinked a couple of times then cleared his throat. “I uh, I hope you don’t mind. I invited someone else.”

Hackett stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back, came to rest beside Kaidan. James watched that steely glare with mounting horror. Any chance of orgasm fizzled out. He should get up, salute his superior officer, the _fucking fleet admiral_ but Shepard wasn’t moving and there was no way he was gonna chuck her off. Fuck, he didn’t have any pants on. That’s _not_ the kind of salute he wanted to give.

Hackett saved him from having make a decision. “I’m glad to see our illustrious N7 is making the most of shore leave. Shepard, good to see you too.” And he grinned like a shark. He turned to Kaidan, holding up a bottle of wine. “Shall we let these two make themselves presentable? I’m sure there’s a bottle opener somewhere in this den of iniquity.”

Kaidan nodded and followed Hackett through to the kitchen, shaking his head at the couple still entangled on the couch, his disgust not quite strong enough to hide his smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: Kaidan is Shep and James' bestie and is used to their amorous displays. He's walked in on compromising positions more than once. He usually just rolls his eyes.
> 
> They deal with the fall out tomorrow...


	13. Explaining their relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, not quite what it says on the tin.

“Well this should be easy. Two birds with one stone.” James peeked at the datapad on the bedside table while he fiddled with his cufflinks. Whose bright idea was it to put cufflinks on a dress uniform, anyway? They’d both received a message from Hackett first thing this morning. Short and to the point: _My office. Ten hundred._

“Just make sure your buttons are shiny and your back is straight.” Shepard adjusted her medals while James clicked his heels together, stood to attention. “No, straighter. Like you’ve got a stick up your ass.”

James pulled his shoulders back further and saluted the mirror. “He’s gonna ream us out, isn’t he? Demote us. Have us scrub the bathroom floors with a toothbrush.”

Shepard picked up her cap and marched out the bedroom and down the hall. James checked himself over one last time before turning and leaving the house. Shepard waited for him at the roadside. Another check of her omnitool, a nod, and they were off. The walk would do them good and would save them trying to find a park.

“He didn’t seem that pissed last night.” James said, following Shepard’s brisk pace. “And he knows we’re together. We live together! This Alliance house is in both our names.” He tried to reason with himself, to keep the rising panic tamped down.

Shepard stopped mid-stride, James almost bumping into her. She turned, took his hands in hers. “James. Please. Calm down. Whatever he’s got to say, we just stand there and take it, okay? We’re marines. We’re used to bullshit and we’re used to life being unfair.”

“I didn’t almost lose you to the reapers only to lose you to regs.” James pulled out from her, walked in a small circle, cracking his neck, his knuckles.

“He’s not a dragon, he’s Hackett. He understands.”

“Sure, but he’s no Anderson, either.” James replied.

They just stood there in the middle of the pavement, looking at each other helplessly. Anderson could be a hard bastard but he knew when to let things slide and when to crack the whip. Shepard was the same. She learned from the best. But the best wasn’t here anymore.

Shepard’s omnitool bleeped, breaking their brooding. “Come on. We’re gonna be late.” Shepard broke into a jog and James had no choice but to follow.

*

Hackett made them wait for fifteen minutes outside his office. Well, his secretary told them to wait and that “Admiral Hackett will be with you shortly.” James stood at ease by the chairs lining the wall, not daring to sit down. Shepard leaned against the window sill, looking out over the parade ground. A bunch of rookies were out there practicing their drills. The sergeant's bark carried over the air and through the closed window. James spared a glance at Shepard. Her back was to him, bent at the waist, arms resting on the sill while one foot hooked around her ankle. She looked gorgeous. The way she filled out those blues, it wasn’t quite as hot as when she stormed the field in her N7 armour, or the way her BDUs fitted her like a second skin, but it was damn close. Shepard shifted and James tracked the movement of her ass, sending his mind back to what happened the last time she wore that uniform. _Shit_. He forced his mind to picture last night’s dinner, of Hackett there glaring at James from across the table while James told only slightly exaggerated tales from his last mission. Maybe he hadn’t been glaring. Maybe he’d been smirking. Could be hard to tell with Hackett, his face all scarred up worse than James’.

Hackett’s door opened and he soon followed, arms by his side, body filling the frame. James snapped to attention. Shepard ambled up beside him and followed suit. She really needed to up her game. Hackett wouldn’t stand for that kind of sloppiness.

“All right you two. In here.” Hackett nodded to his office, went back inside.

James and Shepard shared a glance and a gulp, and followed.

*

“Sit.”

They sat.

Hackett sat behind his large desk, elbows resting on the dark wood, fingertips pressed together making a steeple.

The silence dragged on.

“Excellent dinner last night, thank you. If you ever need a change Commander Vega, we’ll make you a Mess Sergeant out of you.”

“Permission to speak, sir?” James asked. Hackett nodded once. “I’m happy where I am, sir. I may like my food but I’m at my best with a gun in my hand.”

“Clearly,” Hackett replied.

James blushed but held his stare until Hackett broke off to direct his attention to Shepard.

“Shepard, we’ve been hearing rumours of reaper shaped ships out in the Terminus systems. Any ideas?”

“No sir.”

“Hmm. Well, it’s worrying…”

Hackett and Shepard talked, discussing the intel the Alliance had received. James added a bit to the conversation here and there, details about what he’d seen while out on his last mission.

He hoped Hackett wouldn’t send Shepard to investigate. That would cut their leave short and they still had nine days of creative sex to have. James was enjoying this challenge, and not just because it gave him an excuse to bang Shepard every day for three weeks. They’d be doing that anyway. Through The Challenge, he was learning just as much about himself as he was about her. The things they enjoyed, the things they didn’t, it all served to bring them closer together. Even if his leave did get cut short, he’d have to make a point of thanking Tali for sending the list his way. Hell, he’d be sending her a bunch of intergalactic flowers and a crate of triple filtered turian brandy regardless of what happened.

“I’m sending a team out to investigate. Are you interested in heading it up, Shepard?” Hackett’s question shook James out of his day dreaming about roses and flowers and what Rannock looked like now. Here was the kicker. Shepard would say yes. Leave over. His only consolation would be maybe joining her. He could bunk in the captain’s cabin.

“Sir, I’d rather stay here. James only has a week and a half of leave left before he ships out for six months, and, well, you know how it is.” Shepard replied.

James glanced wide eyed from Shepard to Hackett. Had she just turned him down? Crazy! Hackett leaned back in his chair, fingers still steepled, propped under his chin. Those ice eyes bored into Shepard, then James, then Shepard again.

“I understand. But I’m keeping you on call.” The scowl turned into a grimace, an upturn of the lips and a crinkle at the edges of his eyes. Hackett’s version of a smile. “Now get out of here and have fun.” Shepard rose, saluting Hackett and turning for the door. James’ brain caught up with what was happening and he shot up, saluting then stumbling over the chair in his race for the exit.

As they reached the door, Hackett called back. “Vega, Shepard. Best of luck with your relationship. It’s not easy when you’re in the military and, while I’m glad you’re making the most of it, keep the front door closed at all times, understand?”

“Yes sir,” they both replied, exiting quickly, the door cycling shut behind them.

*

They walked home in silence. James had a million questions to ask but he stayed quiet when Shepard’s hand fumbled for his. He squeezed it in return. Their fingers didn’t lock together all that well. His hands were too big. Or hers were too small. But he held on anyway.

James finally broke the silence as they were home and changing out of their blues, folding shirts and trousers neatly. “You said no to Hackett. Who says no to Hackett?”

Shepard just smirked at him, fingers working behind her back. Then her bra was off and flung in his face. When he got himself free of it, she was lying back on the bed, naked, knees bent all coy, hands behind her head.

“You gonna stand there all day solider, or do you need orders?” she asked.

James didn’t need orders. And folding the rest of his uniform could wait.


	14. Masturbation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, hold the phone. Two points of view?! Not entirely sure this works. I'd pulled the first section from something I'd abandoned. The second section came out of a conversation I had with someone on tumblr. Kinda threw the two together and stitched in some continuity.

James wasn’t one to pass up the opportunity for a good show. He was the master at putting on a _great_ show. Shepard, though? Like this? Not so much. She looked embarrassed. Maybe he should’ve offered to go first, put her at ease. But as they prepared the room, turning off the main light, turning on the bedside light, peeled each other out of their clothes, Shepard pressed her fingertips against James’ chest and told him to watch and be quiet.

His heart beat hard in anticipation. He knew Shepard’s body, knew what she liked and just how to leave her panting. But maybe she could teach him a few new tricks. She sat back against the headboard, surrounded with pillows, knees drawn up, feet planted wide. James sat at the end of the bed, leaning back on his hands, watching with fascination.

Their eyes met for a second, and James’ mouth watered. She was already wet, open, waiting, her soft hairs glistening. He swallowed hard, cock taking an early interest. He wanted to stroke those velvet folds himself. But this wasn’t his show. It was hers.

Shepard drew two fingers slowly down from her bellybutton, down her muscle, stroking through her hair just a few times, before dipping down, one finger either side of her lips. She huffed as she eased them up and down, keeping a steady rhythm. Her thigh jerked as she rubbed her clit, and so did James.

A change in her breath led him to look up. Her other hand crept up her abdomen, higher, closing over one breast. When she dragged her hand away, the nipple was hard. She teased herself, circling her nipple lightly, just how James would do it. Except he usually used his tongue.

When they first got together properly, just after the war, she’d rush into sex. She’d be shaking all too soon. Not that she’d leave James to finish himself off, or thrust away in the dark. But she’d neglect foreplay, focused solely on that orgasmic goal, treating it like a mission objective. She couldn’t appreciate the journey. James wanted to draw it out, make it last, now that they had the time. So he’d coaxed her into slowing down, savoring every minute.

And now it looked like his lessons had paid off. She continued to tease herself, chest heaving, back arching off the pillows. She ran the pads of all five fingers over her nipple, starting with the edge of her with thumb, gasping as her pinky slid over. She reversed the move, finishing with her index finger flicking over the hard bud. She crooked her finger, circling with the tip.

All the time, her right hand continued its work between her legs. Her fingers concentrating on her clit and lips. She’d circle low, near her entrance, before drawing back up again, fingers slick, never dipping in, never entering. James had learned this early on. She’d pulled his hand away before, a soft _no_ , as she’d guided his fingers just a few centimeters higher. _There_ , he’d circled, watched her face screw up, jaw tight, _yes_. Funny how a little perspective could teach him so much.

By now, his cock was hard, desperate for attention. He kept his hands off himself though. Grabbing himself was the sort of thing Shepard would do. All eager to come hard and fast. Instead, he just shifted his weight, trying, and failing, to ease the pressure.

She switched her hands over, her right hand trailing up her body to her breast, leaving little wet fingerprints on her skin. She let out a long groan, rubbing the hard nipple between her index and middle fingers, the slick providing just enough friction to make her back arch. Her left hand worked steadily on her folds and clit.

James could tell she was getting close. Her thighs jerked with more regularity, her face flushed and screwed up, eyes shut tight.

“Look at me”, he said, and her eyes snapped open, desperation clear on her face, jaw clenched. James leaned in, not taking his eyes from hers. He could see it there, see the heat, see it coming. She gasped, let out a quiet ‘fuck’. Another profanity and her thighs were shaking, hips jerking. She continued to rub, slowing slightly as she lay back against the headboard. One hand gripped her breast, while the other cupped her mound.

She finally broke eye contact, closing her eyes for a long second, before blowing her cheeks out and breaking out into laughter.

“Fuck!” She lifted her hand from her breast, lay her forearm across her forehead, eyes sparkling. “That was intense.”

“Sure looked good from here.” James’ cock twitched, giving its own positive assessment.

Shepard laughed, nudging his knee with her foot. “You got a head start,” she said, nodding to his cock. “Your turn. Swap sides?”

James shuffled up the bed while she shuffled down.

*

Shepard felt out of place, watching James like this. Felt really intimate but she wasn’t sure if it felt _good_. She was used to seeing him with his hand on his dick though. Not like he didn’t grab himself when they were in bed together. But it would only be for a moment, while Shepard was otherwise distracted fetching condoms or toys or tying her hair up. And then her hand would be on him, or he’d be inside her.

His action now was different to those quick tugs. Those brief moments were lazy, just enough for him to stay on that edge. Now, with full reign over himself, she saw the difference. How his focus was solely on himself. Damn, he put on a good show. His hands were so much bigger than hers, able to cover more area than she could. And that made her think of something else. James’ dick wasn’t exactly in proportion to the rest of him. She hadn’t noticed the first time. Too caught up in the heat of the moment, the dread that the fate of the galaxy would be decided a few hours later. Didn’t notice the second time either, all heat and relief at being reunited. But later, when they took the chance to just relax and explore, Shepard was surprised to realise that he was hung, well, pretty average. She’d almost expressed her surprise at the time, but stopped herself from digging that hole.

She bit her lip to suppress a smile, managed to turn it into a lascivious grin when she realised James was watching her. His head dipped down and she followed his gaze. His actions were simple, or so it seemed to Shepard.

One hand gripped his shaft, working up and down at a measured pace. His other cupped his balls, gently, like he had a handful of ducklings, and, shit, that wasn’t an image she was expecting.

“Who do you think about?” she asked, attempting to focus her attention.

“You,” he replied after a moment. He had that look that if caught in a snapshot, could be interpreted as pleasure or pain. Only their context provided the answer.

“Do you always think of me?” Asking that was cruel, especially since he’d kept quiet while she’d put herself on display for him.

“Not always,” he admitted.

“Who do you think about?”

“Lola!” His rhythm faltered, pace upset. “You can’t just ask--”

“Tell me. It’s okay. I wanna know.” She leaned forward, eyes on his. A spark of heat hit her, anticipation at what he’d say. His eyes squeezed shut. “Aria? Do you think of her? I do, sometimes. What it would be like to kneel between her legs, pull her forward, get her to lose her control.”

James groaned, hand still working on his cock, fingers squeezed around his balls harder now.

“Or Jack,” Shepard continued. “Ever want to trace those tattoos? See where they go? Not that she leaves much to the imagination. But still. To run your tongue over them, have her do the same--”

“Lola,” James interrupted. He looked close, the way his jaw had tightened, neck tendons taut, brows furrowed. His eyes opened to meet hers. She returned his stare, licked her lips, knowing how much he craved that eye contact, that moment when they were all that existed.

“Co--” He didn’t get to finish the word, his orgasm catching him.

Shepard watched in wonder, desperate to memorise this moment, James’ expression as he went from wound up tension to wide-eyed surprise, then… relief. Satisfaction. His hand dropped from his balls to his side. The grip on his cock loose around the base.

“Fuck…” he started, puffing out his cheeks and exhaling with a groan.

Shepard shifted, crawled up the bed to sit next to James, knees knocking as she passed him the tissues.

“Sorry. Got carried away.” She looked up at him, turning on her own puppy dog charm with her brown eyes.

He smiled back, slung his arm over her shoulder and pulled her in. Not upset with her then. Good.

“You really think of Jack?” he asked.

“Hmm. Maybe once or twice.” She’d only thought about Jack once, and it hadn’t exactly been by choice. The people Shepard’s sub-conscious threw into her sex dreams often left her scratching her head. But _that_ dream had been pretty good. Jack’s tattoos had gone on forever, Shepard tracing--

“And Aria?” James said, breaking Shepard’s thoughts. “I mean, she’s hot sure, but kinda scary. And dangerous. Didn’t think you’d be into her.”

Shepard pulled the covers up, encouraging James to snuggle down with her. “I’m not _into her_ into her. But, isn’t that the point of fantasies? You make up what you want.”

They lapsed into silence, eyes heavy with sleep.

“You got big hands,” Shepard mumbled, taking one of his in hers. “And a great dick.”

“Thanks,” James replied. “I know.”


	15. Sex at work

Soft grass tickled the back of Shepard’s neck, leaves rustling in a light breeze on trees far above their heads. Shepard sighed into James’s kiss. The flowery meadow sim was a good choice. Felt like the real thing, like they were far away in a forest and not right on the base, making out in one of the training simulators.

James broke off the kiss, breath hot on Shepard’s cheek. “You sure no one’s gonna walk in on us?” he asked.

Shepard rolled her eyes. “Yes. It’s fine. I booked it, locked the door, disabled the recording controls and logs. The place is all ours.”

James didn’t look convinced and Shepard couldn’t blame him. A little voice of worry nagged in her mind, but she’d checked everything three times. No way they’d get busted. Anyway, this was safer than the showers or gym or even Kaidan’s office, as James had so helpfully suggested while they were scoping their options.

“Okay. But we gotta make this quick. No fucking about. In and out.” James untucked his tee, rucking it over his abs so he could unzip his fly.

“You really know how to romance a girl,” she muttered. But she licked her lips, too. Couldn’t help it. James put on a show even when he wasn’t meaning to. His hesitancy had surprised her, normally such the exhibitionist but here and now in this wonderful simulated meadow he starts blushing? Maybe their impromptu show for Hackett had scarred him. She’d give him a better reason to blush.

He settled himself over her, kissing her gently, like he was expecting to be ambushed. This was no good. She rolled out from under James and pulled her shirt off, threw it behind her, followed quickly by her bra. Before James could object, she pushed him back and lay on top of him, grinding her groin into his and sealing his lips with her own. He got the message, pushing against her, running his hands over her back, slipping his fingers under her BDUs and grabbing her ass.

Much better.

She came quickly, an orgasm without nuance, the sort she had as a teenager in the back of a skycar. But that didn’t mean she was done.

“James,” she breathed. “More.”

James didn’t say anything, just let out that low growl that meant he agreed. He got up and in no time had his clothes off and helped Shepard yank her BDUs off. Shepard dug around in a pocket for a condom and while he rolled it on, she lay back. Time slowed. The artificial grass tickled her skin, cooled her sweaty back. The dappled artificial sunlight filtering through artificial leaves hurt her eyes, making her close them. Then a shadow crossed. Her eyes opened and there was James.

“Hey gorgeous.” She smiled, ran her thumb over the scar on his cheek. Oh, but then he pushed in and she moaned, full and stretched. Complete.

James took his time, thrusting slow, drawing out whimpers from Shepard as he kissed her neck and tangled his hands in her hair. She held on, arching her back, gripping his ass as they made what could only be described as love. She knew the meadow was a good idea.

He’d just begun to speed up when something felt wrong. Her inner ear lurched in a way that meant her grip on gravity had faltered. James’ hold on her loosened and he peeled away, slipping out and floating upwards.

“Lola! What’s happening? What did you do?” He cupped his cock with one hand while he reached out for Shepard with his other hand. Too late, Shepard had started on her own trajectory.

Shit. Shit shit shit. She must’ve fucked up the settings or something. “I got this. Just, lemme check the sim.” She pulled up her omni. Nope. Correct sim had been activated: Garden Planet, 27 degrees C, 1.1 g. Shit. What could’ve gone--

She felt a drip, or more of a pull, from between her legs. Oh no. No, not this. She looked down and saw a sphere of creamy liquid detach and hover around her entrance. The sweat from her hair clung her to skin, making her unbearably sticky. Thank fuck James had a condom on. Corralling jizz was the last thing she wanted to do.

“James. Do not sweat. Repeat. Do not sweat.”

“What?”

He sounded far away. Shepard paddled her arm through the air, turning herself so she could see him. He floated up near the ceiling, arms and legs spread wide. _Now_ he loses all sense of embarrassment?

“Lola! I’m flying!” he laughed, swam over to her. “Space is so much fun!”

“James, no!” she snapped, but it was too late. He collided with her, sending them both spinning toward a tree that was actually the wall as drops of sweat and goop peeled off in a haze.

Her back hit the wall and James followed, pinning her. “What were you saying?” he asked. He dipped in for a kiss but Shepard pushed him away. He held on and they floated together.

“I said, don’t sweat. Look at this!” she pointed to the sheen of sweat that hovered over his skin. “This is disgusting and _I’m leaking_ and I don’t know why we’re floating!” She was being shrill, panicking.

“So, you don’t wanna bang in zero g?”

“No!”

“Mind if I finish off?”

“James!”

She took a deep breath, calming herself. First thing. Get clothes on. Absorb sweat. James helped, in his own way. She had to admit, his kisses to her forehead did calm her down. He went away to retrieve their briefs, pulling his on and sending hers over to her. Her shirt came next and once she’d tucked it into her briefs, she returned to her omni. Still said they were in the garden world sim. A quick look at the settings didn’t give her any useful information. No choice but to reset the sim.

“Get as close to the floor as you can. I’m gonna give this thing a reboot and we’ll fall when gravity returns.”

James nodded and swam towards the floor. Shepard took a moment to watch before turning her attention back to her omni. He was actually kinda graceful in the air, the way he dipped and twisted. Shove him in his armour and he’d be a deadly SOB, but mostly naked... well, merman wasn’t quite the right description. Seal. A big stinky fish eating seal who flicked his head, sending a shower of droplets into the air. Shepard shook her head, poked away at the settings. The lights flickered, verdant green of their forest meadow glitching to the grey of the simulator’s walls and back again. The humm of the power cells kicked up a gear then wound down and Shepard’s stomach lurched in her throat as gravity game back with a vengeance. Her shoulder met the floor and she let out a grunt. A brief, light drizzle of bodily fluids rained down. From somewhere nearby came James’ laughter.

“Shit, Lola. That was so much fun.” He crawled over to where she lay on her back, rubbing her sore shoulder.

She huffed, made it to her feet, searched for her trousers, socks, and boots. She moped up the wet patches on the floor, hoped the place didn’t stink like sex. What a great fucking idea this had been. Should’ve done as James had suggested and snuck into Kaidan’s office. He even had a couch in there for when he had a migraine coming on. They could’ve banged on that.

“Don’t know about you, but I’m up for more. Still got my dick wrapped up though.” James pulled Shepard in for a hug. She snorted into his chest as he wriggled. “Feels kinda, ugh. We gotta get home.”

Shepard agreed. After one last check--which included pocketing the torn wrapper--they slipped out of the sim and ran through the base back home.

*

Shepard lazed on the couch, freshly showered and free from clingy sweat and lube. James finished loading the dishwasher, about to join her when the doorbell chimed.

“It’s just K,” he said, looking at his omni and permitting him entry.

“Hey. You guys decent?” Kaidan yelled.

“Area is secure, Major,” James yelled back. He joined Shepard on the couch, shaking his head. “We’re never gonna live that down, are we.”

Shepard smirked, sat up as Kaidan ambled in. He had something in his hand and Shepard realised with mounting horror that it was her bra. He held the offending item towards her, strap looped around one finger.

“One of my students found this,” he dangled it in front of him, pulled away as Shepard lunged for it, “in one of the training sims.”  He allowed Shepard to grab her bra this time then planted his hands on his hips. Uh oh. Grumpy Kaidan.

“You know the grav settings have been playing up in that one. It’s only good for zero g sims at the moment and--” Kaidan’s eyes went wide, mouth open like a stunned fish. His mouth snapped shut. “The _fluids,_ Shepard.” He shook his head, turned, walked out without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I got the physics of this right. I spent a good 10 minutes watching educational youbtube videos of liquids in zero g, so that makes me an expert now, right? Right.


	16. Oral Sex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realise this reads like an after school special, but it’s not called the ‘21 Day Cunnilingus Challenge’.

“You know I hate this.” Shepard smiled up at James. She didn’t look or sound like she meant what she’d said, but James knew otherwise.

“Lola.” He sat up on his elbows, nudged her with his leg. “Don’t do it if you don’t like it.”

Shepard hauled herself upright, kneeling between James’ legs, hands resting on his thighs.

“It’s not fair. You’re always going down on me. I never go down on you.”

“So?” James sat up properly, dragged Shepard to his chest and lay back down. “It’s not like you owe me or anything. Okay? I like going down--no. I _love_ going down on you. I love how you taste and how you feel and _dios_ , how you smell. They way your thighs tremble when you’re coming. The way you can’t even form proper words afterwards.” He stroked her hair, dick getting harder just talking about his face buried between her thighs. “Does things to a man’s ego when he can leave a woman like that.”

“But you like a bj and now you only get one once a year, if that. Hang on. Let me think. There was that time--”

“Shepard.” He pulled her up for a kiss, figuring that was the only way to keep her quiet. Having these serious conversations while naked and hard was kinda awkward. Was he supposed to be turned on or not? Hard not to be when her thigh rubbed his cock and her breasts brushed his chest. He broke the kiss, held her so she had to look at him. “You of all people know about compromise and respect. You brokered a deal between the Krogan and the Turians. You made the Geth and the Quarians listen to each other. You’ve kept Wrex in check with his loco expansion plans. You don’t like dick in your mouth. I don’t like my feet getting touched. So we don’t do those things. Not a deal breaker.”

“‘Spose not.” Shepard mumbled.

James ran his hand down her back and over her ass. “Good. Now we have a challenge to meet so get up here and sit on my face.”

Shepard laughed, properly, kissed him quick and shuffled up, settling herself above James’ head, knees either side of his shoulders. She braced her arms against the wall and sucked in a breath as James got to work.


	17. Out of Character Clothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, not entirely 'out of character' but I couldn't make the Purgatory stripper outfit work.

“I’ve got an idea for this one,” James said. “It’s not very original, but…”

“Shoot,” Shepard replied.

He plucked at his N7 hoodie. “I might have a fantasy of you wearing this hoodie...” James trailed off, waiting for her reaction.

Shepard twisted in his arm, looking up at him with her lopsided grin. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He ran his broad palm over her shoulder, down her arm, imagining her in it. “Just the hoodie,” he added, low.

She pressed her hand against his chest, feeling the fabric more than the muscle underneath. When she looked up at him with a smirk on her face, James grinned back. Disentangling herself from his hug, she knelt up on the couch, her eyes level with his.

“Give it here, then,” she said.

“Now?” He licked his lips. She nodded. He returned her smirk, leaned forward and pulled his hoodie off, carefully keeping the sleeves the right way out.

Shepard grabbed it before he’d even taken it properly off and heaved herself off the couch.

“I’ll be back in a minute” she said, walking away with a swing in her hips.

Fuck. James sat there, dumb smile plastered on his face.

Images of Shepard flashed through his mind: in his hoodie, and nothing else. After a moment, he heard her footsteps down the hall, light, shoeless, then she stepped into view. His eyes went wide for a second, his mouth dry. His jaw snapped shut before getting himself together, throwing her a wicked grin. She turned to face him, hand on a cocked out hip. She wore the hoodie all right. His eyes raked down her body. It did nothing for her torso, covering it up into a shapeless form and the sleeves came down past her fingers. A sliver of clavicle showed, though, a tantalising hint of what was underneath. But her legs. Her thighs emerged from the hem, ample skin on display. He looked back up and locked eyes with her.

“Fuck. C'mere.”

She sauntered over, extra thigh creeping into view and then disappearing with each step she took. Resting her hands on his knees, she leaned down, back straight, eyes burning into his. He stole a glance down the neck, catching a glimpse of breast, before meeting her gaze again. He ran a hand through her hair.

She pushed herself forward on his lap, hands easing their way up his thighs, then her knees followed, straddling him, slowly shuffling her way up. He rested his hands on her thighs, playing with the hem. One hand crept up the side of her thigh, making its way under the hoodie as she inched her way up his lap. He followed the skin, palm and fingers curling around the the curve of her very bare backside. As his fingertips came to the cleft of her cheek, she closed the gap, lips meeting his, teasing. But James didn’t want to be teased. He gripped her with both hands, pulling her right into his lap and he surged up into the kiss, moving from her lips to her neck, her throat, her ears. Anywhere his mouth could reach skin. His hands on her back, her ass, her thighs. She breathed hot on his cheek, one hand gripping his neck, the other running through his hair. Her hips dug into him and he jerked up with a start, cupping her jaw with both hands and holding her back so he could see her whole face. She mirrored his actions, one thumb running over the scar on his cheek.

Her eyes, black pupils ringed with brown, bore into him, a small smile playing on her lips.

“How does this compare to the fantasy?”

“Better,” James growled out. He pulled her in, kissing her hard, then pushed her back again. He flicked the hood up, the heat of the moment dissipating with a laugh as Shepard tilted her head back to peer down at James, just her nose and toothy grin visible. He went to push it back, but her hand gripped his wrist.

“Keep it up,” she whispered. He pushed it back a bit, grinning as he met her eyes again. They moved forward for another kiss, but the hood slipped down again.

Shepard sat back and fiddled with something behind her ear. A clip, James realised, as she pinned the hood to her hair. Giving her head an experimental shake, the hood stayed in place, and she moved back.

James slid his right hand up her leg, slowly, his broad hand taking in as much skin as he could, thumb reaching inner thigh, little finger skirting outer. Shepard sighed, resting her forehead on his, idly stroking the back of his neck. His left hand settled on her hip, under the hoodie, thumb playing with the crease of her groin, stroking what soft hair he could reach. Her breath came deeper, more laboured as his other hand inched slowly up, curving in. He nudged his legs apart, pushing hers further open, as his thumb brushed against her hair. They sucked in breaths at the same time, hearts pounding. A jolt went straight to James’ already hard cock, trapped in his jeans but he dare not break the spell by shifting.

His thumb continued its stroking, brushing over her clit now, then down her lips, and back up. Shepard’s grip on his neck tightened as he ran circles over her. She thrust lightly into his touch. His free hand snaked its way from her hip, dipping into her belly button, dancing up her skin to cup her breast. A hot moan hit his ear as he thumbed her nipple and clit at the same time.

“More,” she breathed, arching her back. James obliged, working his thumb down her lips and over her opening, wet, gliding over her. He couldn’t do much with the rest of his fingers, the angle wasn’t right, but she didn’t seem to mind. Her fingertips dug into his neck and she hissed. “Yes. There. Don’t stop.” He kept up his stroking, rubbing her clit with a slick thumb, rolling her nipple between thumb and forefinger, watching his hands move under the hoodie. She ground into him, the back of his hand hitting his erection causing an ache that he couldn’t satisfy. He didn’t care.

“James,” she groaned into his neck.

A string of profanities left her mouth, mixed in with his name as her hips twitched, thighs shaking, the grip on his neck almost painful. He stopped rolling her nipple, cupping her breast instead, and she held on, her hand over his, a layer of fabric between them. Still she moaned as he stroked her clit, body jerking another time as she rode out her orgasm.

Finally, she stilled, pulling back, eyes glazed over, unfocused. James’ hands slid out, resting on her hips. She pushed her hands into his pecs, breathing hard. He stroked her hips as her breath slowly returned to normal.

He grinned at her, and she grinned back.

“Fucking… fuck.” She laughed, a bit unhinged. She lurched to one side, getting up, but James held her still, asked where she thought she was going.

“Condom,” she said.

Oh. He relaxed his grip so she could get off and find a condom. When she came back, James smirked at her, still in his hoodie, hood still clipped in place on her head. So fucking sexy. His lap cooled without her heat and weight bearing down on him, but he took the opportunity to thrust his hips up and undo his fly, pushing his jeans and briefs down. Shepard pulled the offending clothes off his legs, discarding his socks as well, before climbing back onto his lap. He leaned forward and pulled his tee shirt off too. His skin stuck to the leather couch and he dimly recalled Shepard saying something about spunk being hard to clean off leather, but his thought didn’t get far, interrupted by the tear of the wrapper and the condom being rolled onto his cock.

“Fuck, yes.” He moaned as Dinah gripped him in one hand, pulling a couple of times before lowering herself down slowly. He thrust up gently to meet her, both groaning at the fit. He gripped her ass under the hem of his hoodie, pulling her in closer, deeper.

She rode him as he thrusted up, her hands exploring the expanse of his chest. When they reached his shoulders, he pulled her in close, chests pressed together, his hoodie adding a soft friction to his chest. He picked up the pace, feeling himself deep in her, heat curling in his belly. So hard, so close. The hood raked the side of his face as she leaned in, sucking on his neck, kissing her way up, lips closing over his earlobe. And that was it, the tipping point. He growled and thrust up, she groaned and pushed down. He emptied himself into her then slumped back against the couch.

Shepard pulled back, eyeing him with a grin. Lids heavy, eyes out of focus, heart pounding, coming down from his high.

“Yeah.” He mumbled. “Incredible.” They sat for moment, grinning at each other, utterly weak and boneless.

Shepard finally slid off James’ lap to stand in front of him. Pushing the sleeve up one arm, she stood with a hand on one hip, just like before.

“I’m gonna get my clothes back on,” she said. “In the meantime, you can think of what other clothes of yours you want me to wear.” She flashed him a wide grin, walking away with that swing to her hips, leaving him alone in their living room.

After a blowing out a couple of deep breaths, James staggered to the kitchen, dealt with the condom and reluctantly pulled his clothes back on. He thought about her words, wondering what she could wear next. His favourite grey tee, with the neck hole slipped over her bare shoulder as she wandered through the house. Or a singlet, neckline in a deep droop, the curve of cleavage as she pushed her breasts together and the large sleeveless arm holes showing off ample side boob and a hint of nipple. Yeah, he’d have to get her into more of his clothes. Soon.


	18. Pain/Sensation play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one has ended up being my favourite.

“Candles are romantic,” James said after Shepard finished reading the summary of day’s challenge.

“Not when there’s wax dripping all over you,” Shepard replied.

James waved his hand. “Nothing I can’t handle, Lola. Shit, can’t be that bad. You’ve had my nose bleeding and kicked the wind out of me more times than’s healthy.”

“ _And_ you’ve taken a turret to the chest more times than anyone should.”

“So’ve you. We’re marines. We’re used to being a little uncomfortable.” He shrugged. Hell, he’d had a knife slashed across his face and had been patched up by some back alley surgeon because he’d been too afraid to go to a proper hospital. To be young and stupid _and doing your dad’s dirty work for him_.

Shepard scanned the pad again. “We need special candles.” She read out the pertinent safety information.

“Back to the sex shop?” James asked.

“Back to the sex shop.”

*

“That asari must think we’re kinky fuckers,” James said as he shucked his jacket, kicked his boots off. Between them, they’d been to that shop four times in two weeks, stocking up. James had gone on his own this time. The asari had been her usual helpful self with no hint of lechery, speaking openly and running James through all the options. She'd even threw in a cooling moisturiser for free.

“She’s discreet and she knows she’s talking about. That’s all I care about.” Shepard rifled through the bag, picked out the box of candles and ran her hands over them. Satisfied, she leaned in to kiss James, long and lingering. The kind of kiss that said she meant business. Meant it was time to go through to the bedroom. James followed her, holding her hand as she dragged him down the hall.

She’d been busy while he’d been out: the windows were dimmed, the lights off. The room glowed a soft yellow from the regular candles she’d set up on the nightstands and dressers. An old sheet lay crisp and clean over the bed, glasses filled with water standing by. Fresh flowers on his nightstand. So horribly romantic. James wanted to bundle her up and make love to her just like this. But that could wait. Shepard had let go of James’ hand and had already unwrapped the candles, lighting two and setting them up in empty holders.

In a routine familiar to them now, they stood at the end of the bed and held each other, kissing whatever they could get their lips on, cheeks, necks, noses. They helped each other strip, pausing to kiss newly exposed skin, continuing until they were both naked, James hard and Shepard wet.

“You first,” Shepard whispered, pushing James back. He sat down and shimmied back, then rolled over when Shepard twirled her finger. He crooked his elbows and used his hands as a pillow, knowing that Shepard liked the way his muscles flexed, pulling his shoulder blades apart.

“Usual deal. Green, yellow, red. Okay?” she said, crawling up the bed, one hand trailing up from his ankle to his scalp.

“We’re pros at this now.” He relaxed under her light touch.

Shepard settled herself over his ass, sitting down lightly and rubbing his back, warming him up, getting in deep with the heel of her palms. “Doesn’t matter how routine the mission is. You go through the basics beforehand. Make sure everyone knows what they’re doing and nothing’s been forgotten.”

James moaned as Shepard massaged him. “Once a commander, always a commander, huh?”

“Damn straight.”

*

He knew the first drip was coming. She’d warned him. Didn’t prevent the sting from making him flinch and suck in his breath.

“Okay?” Shepard asked.

“Yeah, just, it stings!” James flexed, the wax stretching his skin slightly as it cooled. After the initial sting, he was left with a warm ache. “Keep going.”

Shepard continued, dripping more wax onto James’ back. He couldn’t help flinching again but Shepard kept it up. He didn’t want her to slow down or stop. He felt her shift above him as the drips traced a path lower, travelling in a line down from his right shoulder, pinpricks of heat making him bite the sheets. Funny how the sting from a slap across the cheek or the flick of a wet towel wasn’t a turn on. But this was. Maybe it was because Shepard was doing it. Maybe it was because they were both naked, lying in a candle lit room having kissed each other senseless.

He ground his hips into the bed, getting friction against his cock. He wouldn’t come from this alone but as foreplay? Fantastic. Shepard started moving back up, switching the candle over for another colour.

“You’re gorgeous, James,” she whispered.

“I know, Lola, I know.”

That earned him a slap on the ass and damn, if that didn’t feel good. He clenched, making Shepard laugh.

“It’s like that artist, you know?” Shepard paused, running one hand up over the wax, pulling tight against James’ skin. The thought of peeling it all off had him shiver in anticipation.

“Jackson Pollock?” he offered.

“Yeah, him. How’d you know? Didn’t peg you as an art critic.”

James shrugged the best he could, reveling in the sharp sting as Shepard resumed dripping more wax onto him. “What can I say? I know what I like and I like ropey ejaculations of paint.”

Shepard laughed, spilling a stream of wax over his flank. A flood of apologies flowed out from her as James winced, gasping out their stop word, while curling his shoulders into the mattress. Now _that_ hurt. Shepard stuck the candle in the holder and pressed kisses onto his back, around the wax. As the burn eased and the wax cooled, James relaxed again, sinking into the bed as Shepard rubbed his back. No damage, just the sudden shock.

“Want me to peel it off now?” she asked

James nodded.

Feeling the wax peel off was an exquisite delight. It wasn’t like ripping off a bandaid or picking at a scab. More tingly, less sticky, sending little waves of pleasure all over James’ back. Shepard massaged each spot as it became wax free, until she was rubbing her hands all over his back, relieving the hot skin.

James knelt up, stretching his sore muscles, cracking his neck. Shepard handed him a glass of water once he’d turned around. They grinned like idiots at each other, pupils blown in the low light, features soft, relaxed. They kissed again, James’ lips cool on Shepard’s after the water. She lay down, face first, and copied what James had done, bending her arms and resting her head on her hands.

“You want a go?” he asked, surprised.

“Yeah. Like you said. What’s a bit of pain to a marine?” she replied. “And, it looked pretty hot from where I was sitting.”

James knelt over Shepard and took in the view, ran his hands from her neck, over her shoulder blades, down her back and over her ass. Her skin wasn’t perfect. Scars and scrapes from her life on the front line marking her back. He kissed the mole on her left shoulder blade, then the two freckles, side by side, right above her ass. Then he picked up the candle.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Go.”

The first drips had her squirming, sucking in her breath, just like they had him. They splattered everywhere, black splodges against dark skin made golden in the low light. Shepard sighed as the wax cooled and James continued. He dripped up in a line, then down in a diagonal, then up again. Shepard wasn’t making much noise, her face buried in the pillow now. She wiggled every now and then, tightening her muscles. The light played off them, casting shadow over the dips. James put the candle down, leant over Shepard’s back, running his hands up her sides. He kissed her neck, asked if she was okay.

“Uh huh. It stings,” came the muffled reply.

“In a good way?” he asked.

“Uh... Maybe. Not much more though.”

“I got you, Lola.” James ran his fingers through the hair at the back of her neck, making her shudder. He sat back up and took the black candle again. He’d nearly finished his pattern. Just two more lines.

Shepard groaned into the pillow as he dripped the wax. He kept one hand on her hip, rubbing circles with his thumb. Shit, the soft light, the way her muscles flexed, the little shudders and jerks, the residual tingles from his wax had him hard.

One last drip and he was done. He set the candle down, gently ran his fingers around the pattern. It pulled at her skin but didn’t peel off.

Shepard lifted her head from the pillow and tucked an arm under it. “You made an N7.” It wasn’t a question. And she was right. “Kiss me.”

He kissed her. Long, lazy, soft. Once he’d had his fill, memorised the black drips and their messy, Pollock-y letters, he started peeling the wax off. He picked it off with his fingernails, rolling it into a ball. Shepard sighed, kneeling up and heaving James off her. She reached for the water but James batted her away, leaning over and passing it to her himself. James grinned as she gulped it down.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to make the most of this mood lighting and tingly skin,” she said, pushing him down onto his back, kissing him hard.

James fell willingly, burning for his Lola, still feeling the sensations of hot wax on his back, still seeing the drips he’d left on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “ropey ejaculations of paint” is a direct quote from my high school art history text book. Oh, how we tittered. Learned about the fur cup in that class too. In fact, I probably had a more comprehensive sex education from that art history class than I did from the proper lessons the school put on. I went to a co-ed school, but no boys elected to take art history that year and it was really… liberating. We could bitch and moan about periods, and shaving our legs, and boys. The cliques melted away. Our teacher was female and would encourage/sympathise with us. Wonderful.
> 
> Anyway. Only four to go.


	19. Rimming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cough* I got a little carried away...

James lay on his back with Shepard draped over his chest, making out like they were teenagers, each waiting for the other to make the next move. Shepard shifted, nuzzling James’ neck. Felt like she’d made a decision.

“I got this one.” She said, sliding her way down James’ body, making him shiver. “Just keep your dick out the way.”

James laughed. “Sure thing Lola. Not sure you totally understand how hard ons work, but okay.” He grabbed hold of his cock, stroking lazily. His breath caught and his hand stilled as she pushed his legs wide. Rarely would Shepard be in this position but when she was, oh boy did James enjoy it.

She ran her fingers down his illac furrow, brushing through his trim hair and over his balls while she kissed his inner thigh. Her light kisses made him squirm and she dug her thumbs in, holding him. He did his best to stay still, concentrated instead on slowly jacking himself.

His control didn’t last long though. A broad, wet tongue pressed over his ass and up to his balls. He threw an arm behind him, fist balling in the pillow. Tingles radiated out from his ass, up his cock. And Shepard did it again. He groaned at the warmth. She kept going, licking, flicking. Fuck, she might not like giving a blowie but she sure seemed to like eating him out. He hoped she was enjoying this as much as he was.

She wrapped one arm under his thigh, holding him down. Then her fingers wrapped around his hand on his cock. He let go, grabbing her hand closing them both back around him. She squeezed, pulling up and James shuddered again. He craned his neck, looking down to see what she was doing but all he saw was the top of her head and their linked hands going up and down. He flopped back and pulled a pillow over his face, groaning as she hit him with her tongue over and over. He kept her pumping at a steady pace, barely noticing that as he increased the speed, her tongue did too.

He was so close, his pleasure becoming too much, but he didn’t want to come yet.

“Lola, Shepard,” he groaned, pulling her hand off his cock.

She got the hint, pulling back, grinning up at him. He keened at the loss of contact and found himself slightly surprised that her face wasn’t soaking, but of course it wouldn’t be. He missed the feeling on his ass, missed the tingling. He needed that back.

He had an idea. Hauling himself up, he reached over to the bedside table, yanked the drawer open and groped around inside. He found the two things he wanted and palmed them, slammed the drawer shut.

He flopped back, chucked the lube and silver plug they’d bought from the delightful asari just the other week down to Shepard.

“James, you kinky fucker. What do you want me to do with these?” Shepard teased.

His body ached, too far gone to reply with a smirk or dirty joke. So he said what he wanted. “Do what you were doing before, but with that.” He spread his legs, wiggled his hips. His dick waved too.

Shepard grinned and did as she was told, slicking up the plug. She ran a smooth finger down from his balls over his entrance. It wasn’t as warm or wet as her tongue but it felt fantastic anyway. Then the cold stainless steel pressed against him and he shuddered in anticipation. Slowly, she pushed, James relaxed as much as he could. He watched as she glanced between his ass and his face, checking his reaction. His eyes drifted shut as his body gripped the plug and it slid in.

“Fu…” He groaned, unable to even finish the word. Then a high pitched moan escaped as Shepard tugged on the plug, moving it, getting it to hit that spot inside him.

He grabbed his cock and pumped.

“Don’t stop, Shepard, don’t you fucking stop.” He didn’t care how desperate he sounded, didn’t care that Shepard laughed. She wasn’t laughing at his expense, he knew. She continued to play with the plug, teasing him so bad. It kept hitting his prostate and fuck, he wasn’t gonna last much longer.

“ _Madre di dios_.” His words came out as a squeak as her free hand caressed his balls, their knuckles brushing as he continued to jerk himself. He felt them tighten, felt that surge rise up.

“Gonna come, gonna…” And he came, felt the warmth splash on his abs. Shepard had stopped rolling his balls but hadn’t stopped tugging on his ass. The tingles continued just a bit longer, until she slowed and finally stopped.

He lay there, dazed, arm draped over his face while his body sunk into the mattress. He squirmed as Shepard pulled the plug out.

“You good?” she asked. “I’m gonna…”

James just nodded, waved a hand at her. She came back a minute later with a glass of water and a wet wash cloth. And she’d soaked it at just the right temperature. What a woman. With the cleanup completed and the glass emptied, James ducked under the covers, pulling Shepard in tight against his chest and kissing the back of her neck. One had snaked down her body, found her folds wet. She moaned and pushed back into him. It didn’t take him long to stroke her to orgasm and once she’d stopped writhing against him he let go.

They drifted off, content, exhausted, having learned yet another thing about each other. And this one they’d be keeping and doing again, definitely.


	20. Roleplay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sorry, this one is a total cheat. I posted this fic on Tumblr a while back when I didn’t think I’d actually get all these finished. I didn’t have another standby fic to replace it, either. Still makes me laugh though.

Shepard sat at the bar feeling self-conscious in her dress that revealed too much. She fingered the ostentatious pearl necklace, adjusted the straps on her heels. She could hardly walk in them, even though they only had a one inch heel—the same lift that her combat boots gave her. They just felt like all kinds of wrong. But they'd come up with this idea together and despite feeling out of place, she looked forward to how things would play out. She'd play the rich divorced woman out at the bar, sipping on cocktails while aching for some handsome young man to come along and relieve her of her loneliness. James would play said handsome young man, quick with a joke, good on his feet. He'd sweep her away. Basically he was playing himself. And he wasn't that much younger than Shepard. But they'd pretend they didn't know each other for the night. Pretend they hadn't been thrown together those few years ago, when the Reaper threat wasn't quite real and then suddenly was.

She stirred the toothpick in her cocktail, then popped the olive in her mouth. Hopefully her hot young thing wouldn't be too far away. Shepard couldn't deal with late nights anymore.

*

James wandered into the bar, spotting Shepard immediately. _Dios_ , she looked amazing. They'd gotten dressed separately, so neither would know what the other wore. She hadn't noticed him so he took the moment to ogle her. That black dress hung low in her chest, the hint of breast making his heart race already. And she wore heels. He'd never seen her in heels before. From this distance he couldn't quite see the detail of her ankles, but he could see how her bare calves tapered down, and he knew if he looked he'd find a little N7 tattoo on the inside of her right ankle. He wasn't supposed to know that though. He was just a guy out on the town for the night, looking for a good time, hoping to get lucky. He smirked, thinking how he'd hit the jackpot when another man, tall, with curled blonde hair intercepted his path and started talking to Shepard.

*

Shepard groaned internally when Conrad Verner tapped her on the shoulder and said, “Shepard! Is that you? I hardly recognised you in that dress. May I say, you look beautiful. Stunning. Are you waiting for someone? Can I get you a drink?”

Before she could reply, he’d flagged down the bartender, requesting the best drinks they had for the Saviour of the Galaxy. This was not the kind of young man she'd been expecting to spend the night with. But James (and where the hell was he) seemed to be taking his sweet time (probably stuck staring at himself in the bathroom mirror) so she had no option but to make polite conversation with her biggest fan. Well, second biggest fan.

*

James took a second to recognise just who was talking to Shepard. He wandered further into the bar and just caught her eye. She shot him a pleading look— _rescue me, please_. And he had an idea. A good idea. A really good idea. He raised his index finger, indicating that he'd be back in a minute. He made a beeline for the the back of the bar to a door that read 'staff only’. Content that his six was clear, he went through, walking with purpose down the corridor. If you looked like you were supposed to be there, no one would question your presence. But the coast was clear. He entered the door marked 'men's locker' and surveyed the situation. He found what he was looking for hanging on a hook: a black tie, blue sparkly waist coat and black suit jacket. Shit, their staff uniforms were the opposite of fashion, but it didn't matter. He shucked his own dinner jacket, swapped it for the other jacket, and waistcoat. He adjusted the tie in the mirror, noticed the name tag pinned to the breast: Paul. He grinned. Tonight he was Paul.

He made his way back out, saw Shepard still sitting at the bar, still with Conrad, a strained smile plastered on her face. He stood up straight, put on a stern glare, and strode over.

“Excuse me ma'am, is this man bothering you?” he asked Shepard, using his height to crowd over Conrad.

“I'm not bothering her! We're best friends! Do you even know who she is? She's Commander Shepard and she saved the galaxy!” Conrad protested.

“Sir, if you were really friends with the saviour of the galaxy then you'd know her rank.” He inclined his head towards Shepard. “ _Captain_ Shepard. Would you like me to remove this man?”

He didn’t let Shepard answer. He hooked his arm through Conrad's and pulled him to standing. “Please come with me, sir.”

Conrad protested his innocence again, but James just twisted the man's arm behind his back and dragged him towards the door. The turian bouncer eyed him curiously. James felt the need to explain: “Disturbing the customers. Don't let him back in.”

The turian nodded once and Conrad was evicted. James smirked, ready to go finish rescuing his woman. But the bouncer stopped him.

“Nice of you to rescue that woman. But shouldn't you be behind the bar... Paul?” The turian poked a talon at the name badge.

James fumbled a reply, planning his escape back to the locker room, when an asari stormed over. “Paul! What the hell are you doing? Get back behind the bar. Now!”

He had no option but to follow her back to the bar.

*

Shepard watched the interaction between James, the turian and the asari with interest. She'd been so grateful for the rescue, and most amused with James' quick thinking and improvisation. She grinned, watching him walk back over, but before he could return to her, he veered off, ending up _behind_ the bar instead of in front of it. She heard the asari hiss at him, something about pulling his weight or he'd be out on his ass. He set to work pulling beers for a couple of marines who'd just showed up, shooting her his own 'rescue me' look. She just hid her smile. He was on his own.

Eventually he made it over to her. “So, good looking. What'll it be?” He leaned over the bar, smirking.

“Martini please. Two olives. Thanks, _Paul_.” Shepard replied. She made her payment, tipped him well.

*

The game--or more accurately, job--continued for another three hours. _Three_ hours! James didn't really have a choice. He didn't know when this shift was supposed to finish and he hadn't been allowed a break. He made his way over to Shepard as often as he could, engaging her in flirty banter, keeping up the pretense that he was Paul the bar tender. After another two martinis she switched to apple juice. Time was getting on. He wanted to go home. So did Shepard, he thought, judging by the frequency of her yawns.

At last the asari came over and let him have a break. “Fifteen minutes. No more. You get your ass back here quick smart.”

James practically jumped at the chance to escape. He shot Shepard a glance, nodded to the door. She understood, standing up and making her preparations to leave. He made it back to the locker room, shucked Paul's jacket, yanked the tie off, ripped two buttons off the waistcoat in his attempt to unbutton them quickly. He pulled his own jacket back on and made his way out. _Shit_. The same turian stood guarding the door. He'd just have to stride past, not make eye contact. He squared his shoulders, tugged on his jacket, setting it straight and walked straight for the door.

He could see Shepard waiting outside, caught a glimpse of her rubbing her arm against the cold of the night air. Ten meters and he'd be there at her side, draping his jacket over her, keeping her warm. The turian blocked his path, stood with his arms folded over his chest.

“Going somewhere, Paul?” he asked.

James faltered. “Uh, um. Just... need some fresh air.” He shifted his stance, bowled past, shoving the turian out the way with his shoulder, using the turian's surprise to glance off him and out the door.

He grabbed Shepard's hand and they started pacing away, Shepard’s heels clicking on the pavement. Then the asari called out behind him. “Paul! Paul you jackass. Get back here! Now! Paul! Shit. You are so fired!”

They broke into a run but Shepard couldn't keep up in the heels. Without slowing, James scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder, ignored her squeal and sprinted till he rounded a corner. He slowed to a jog when he was sure they weren't being followed and put Shepard down. He leant against the wall, catching his breath while Shepard laughed hard next to him.

*

“You dick. You utter dick. I can't believe you ended up pulling pints for three hours. Three hours James! Or, Paul, was it?” There was no anger in her voice. Just amusement.

“Yeah, but I got my woman in the end though, didn't I?” He smirked, pulled her in for a long kiss. “Come on, let's get you home. A woman your age should've been in bed hours ago.”

Shepard shoved him in the shoulder. Cheeky shit.


	21. Voyeurism

Shepard couldn't believe they were doing this. This place was dark and seedy and felt like all kinds of wrong. But, apparently, if you came up here to do the deed in the back of your skycar, that was permission enough for people to pull up alongside and watch.

“I got this one, Lola,” James had said. “I know a place.”

She didn’t want to know how he knew. She just hoped the people here weren’t from HQ.

It was like bad amateur porn, Shepard thought as she peered out the window of their skycar. The light all wrong, the sound muted, bodies moving in indefinable ways. All it needed was a disinterested cat sitting on the dash for the picture to be complete.

James pressed against her, leaning over to look out the window. “Look at that guy’s cock! It’s massive!”

Shepard had been staring at that guy’s cock for a while now, utterly confused as to how or why his partner had allowed it anywhere near him. His partner seemed to be enjoying himself though as he swallowed that massive cock down again.

She pushed James back, focussed on the view out the windscreen. The whole base was lit up below, thousands of lights twinkling in the dark. The lights from the neighbouring city lay to the left, partially obscured by trees. This was the kind of sight Shepard liked. Not the… carnal activities going on beside them.

The inside of the car lit up, shadows passing over as another skycar pulled up beside them. Shepard glanced over. A cold bolt of terror struck her. She slunk low in her seat, covering her face, pulling James down with her.

“Woah. Lola. You want in on the action you only need to ask.”

“Shh. Shut up. You see that car that just pulled up? No! Don’t look.” Shepard pulled James’ head back down, his protest muffled against her arm. “Pretty sure that’s Admiral Ahren’s car. Fuck.”

James managed to wiggle his head out of her grasp but he stayed low. “You sure?”

“Yeah. It’s the new XR10. Cost a fortune. He’s been parading it around like he’s the god-damned king of the world.”

“Can’t be him. He wouldn’t come up here in it. No way. He’s an Admiral. He wouldn’t be that stupid.”

Shepard just raised her eyebrow. James’ face broke into a grin. He looked evil in the half light.

“Why’d you think he’s here?” he asked.

“Same reason we are? Oh God. What if his wife is with him? We gotta get out of here.”

James agreed. He reclined his seat right back, pulled his hood up and reached for the steering controls on the dash.  
“James. You dick. Stick the autopilot on.” Shepard battered his hand away with her foot and made an awkward turn in her seat, feet jabbing James in the process. Snaking up with her head low and her arm outstretched, she tapped a couple of controls and the car glided silently back.

They both watched the occupants in the car beside them, holding their breaths, hoping to make a quick escape.

“Oh, _madre de dios_. His wife’s damn fine.” James muttered.

Shepard couldn’t help herself. She snuck onto James’ lap, peering out the window. She saw… Peggy, that was her name. Saw more of Peggy that she ever thought she’d want to. She’d never get that image from her head. Never shake Arhen or Peggy’s hand again without seeing the Admiral’s face buried between those surprisingly perky breasts.

“Hey,” James piped up once the car had made a safe retreat and was halfway home. “You wanna dim the windows and do it in the back seat? You know, necking it like we’re teenagers.”

Shepard couldn’t help but grin.

By the time they made it home, they were disheveled and panting. Thank goodness for autopilot.


	22. Sensory deprivation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last day of the challenge!!

“How’s this any different from just doing it in the dark?” Shepard asked. She adjusted her eye mask and wrinkled her nose.

“ _I_ can still see what I’m doing,” James replied. He sounded close, still beside her.

Yeah, if one of them could still see, then the chance of getting a knee in the gut was halved. Not that they all their fumble-around-in-the-dark sex resulted in injury. Middle of the night, for example, that’s a pretty good time for it. Half tired, really lazy. Not even bothering to open their eyes. They knew their way around each other’s bodies anyway. But like this? Shepard suspected James would take full advantage of her temporary lack of sight. She’d been apprehensive, but volunteered anyway, knowing that he knew her limits. Especially after the kinky shit they’d done these past few weeks. Last night, too. May as well go all out.

She’d just have to hone her other senses. She knew what to do. Didn’t get this far in life without developing all five senses, plus maybe a sixth. The one that sensed trouble. It twitched now. Or maybe that was her feeling the bed dip away.

“You okay?” He sounded concerned. Maybe that was _her_ twitching and not her trouble-sense.

“Yeah, fine.” Hadn’t meant it to come out so strained.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and froze.

“Hey. Roll over. You need to relax.”

Shepard complied, rolling onto her stomach and cushioning her head in her arms. A whole new level of dark embraced her. This was a dark she liked.

The hands returned, firm against her calves. _Oh, yes. Massage. Good idea James._ She sighed, wiggled, getting comfortable.

James chuckled. He worked his way up her calves, pressing his hands into the muscle. For once, she wasn’t tight anywhere, didn’t need him to dig his thumbs in and loosen up the tension. She could just relax and let him do his thing. And hopefully she’d still be awake at the end of it.

Thighs. Ass. Back. Shoulders. Arms. Neck. Scalp. He pressed and rubbed and squeezed her to relaxation. And… arousal. She grinned into her arm as he ran his hands down her back one last time, coping a feel of side boob, then over her ass and between her legs. Tease. Her eyes easily stayed closed as she rolled over, following his quiet instruction.

She draped her arms over her face again, covering her already blindfolded eyes as he repeated the massage. Only this time she squirmed under his touch, her whole body now one big erogenous zone. She heard what she thought was a laugh, more of a ‘hah’ on an exhale. It wasn’t like James to be so quiet. Or maybe he was always like this but she’d never noticed. She tried to tune her ears without tensing.

“You doing good?” he asked, hand on her thigh.

“Real good.” She drew out the words, a single laugh punctuating the end.

“You’re not gonna fall asleep on me, no?”

She heard the laugh in his voice and shook her head. No, she’d stay awake.

“Good. ‘Cause I’ve got big plans for you.” He tapped her leg. “Open up.”

Shepard complied and James took his place between her legs. Didn’t feel like his shoulders down there, as great as that’d be. Felt more narrow, like his waist.

She didn’t get a chance to reach down and touch him, her move halted by the lightest kiss to her nipple. She sucked in her breath, arched her back. He did it again, just brushing her with his lips. She lifted her hips, grinding shamelessly against him. Moaning, when he tongued that nipple and then blew cold over the bud. He shifted. Shepard waited for him to repeat the action on her other nipple. It didn’t come though. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t made a sound. She brought her hand down, managing to smack him on the back of the head. He seemed to be expecting it though and resisted her efforts to push him down.

“More, James,” she whined. She went to grind against him again but he held her steady, pinning her with his weight. Dammit. She couldn’t get the right friction from here. This was maddening. He leant down further, pressing his chest against hers, just enough to stop her from wiggling out. Then his lips were on hers. She scraped her fingers over his scalp, relishing the scratch, ears attuned to the sounds he made. The moans that passed from his mouth and into hers. Her free hand explored his back, ran over the muscle, found the little nick at the base of the ‘7’ tattooed on his back. She pressed her finger into it, the skin warped and rigid. He had a freckle near here, too. She couldn’t feel it though, could only guess where it might be.

He pulled back from her lips, sliding down, kissing her neck, clavicle. The bed dipped sharply at two points either side of her. His elbows. Oh, and his fingertips drew slow circles around both nipples. She tried to push up again but he still had her pinned at the waist. Her hands found his scalp again, fingers digging in as he continued this slow tease. Damn, she just needed a hand on her clit. A finger would do it. She tried to get her own hand in, but James shifted, denying her access. He didn’t even say anything. She wondered what he looked like. If he was just as flushed as she felt. Probably had that stupid grin on his face.

Before she could protest, her body shifted, a firm hand on her belly pulling her onto her side and against the warm solid mass of James’ chest. His cock lay hard against her ass, trapped between them and she wiggled back some more, knowing how much he loved that. With a few words of direction from James, Shepard made herself comfortable, resting her head against his outstretched arm. She reached for his hand, patting the bed until he murmured in her ear and grabbed her fingers. His other hand stroked her flank, cupped her breast, then moved down, firm over her abdomen and light over her curls.

There was the relief she needed. His fingers stroked her folds, rubbed her clit and she gasped, tightening her grip on his hand. He continued, not letting up and not letting go, moaning when she moaned, moving his body with hers.

“James if you keep this up I’m going to come,” she said, a little breathless.

“That’s the idea, Lola,” he hummed, kissed her ear.

“Wh--what about you?” she asked. She could lift her hips, shift her leg and he could slip in and then after they could fall asleep like this.

“Don’t worry about me. You wanna come, you come.” James gripped her hand, stroked her clit in a way that had her toes curling and her cunt aching.

He didn’t let up, knowing her so well, knowing just how to touch her and whispering what she was sure were dirty Spanish words until she couldn’t take it anymore and her body rocked, pleasure rolling in waves over her skin and through her muscles. Still he didn’t ease up, only easing the pressure, keeping her coming until her oversensitised clit had her telling him to stop.

Shepard started laughing as James pulled away, letting her roll onto her back. She reached for James, still unable to see him and he was there, holding her hand and kissing her, their teeth clacking together as they both laughed. She felt James shift beside her, settling himself over her, his knees either side of her hips.

“Your turn?” she said, expecting him to move her legs and push in.

But he didn’t. He took her hands and pressed her palms to his thighs. His leg hair felt wiry against her hands, clammy with sweat. “Stay. And listen,” he said.

“What are you--”

James shushed her with a finger to her lips. “Listen. Feel.”

Shepard had no idea what that meant but she trusted him to look after her. She pressed her hands against his thighs as he let out a moan, felt a shake through his muscles. Was he…?

“Oh, fuck Lola,” he groaned.

Yes. Yes he was. Shepard listened, concentrating on the moans and mumbles he let out as he jerked himself. This was like the other week, when she’d watched him touch himself. Only this time she couldn’t see. She inched her hands higher up his legs, testing how far she could go. He only encouraged her, free hand grabbing one of hers and pushing her back down his leg and up again. She kept up the movement, thumbs digging into the soft inside of his thighs. She liked this, listening to him, catching sounds she would normally miss, the intonations of his swear words. She recognised the groans now, the way his lungs fought for air and his thighs trembled against her.

His breath hitched at the end of a loud groan and Shepard braced herself for the incoming spunk, thinking it was too late to tell him she didn’t really want him coming on her. But the warm splash never came. She felt James shake around her, felt the rhythm of his hand slow, smelled the sex hang heavy in the air. She let go of his thighs, pulling her eyemask off, squinting at the light. Only the bedside light but after so long in the dark, her eyes hurt. She focused her gaze on James, his bulk looming tall above her. He looked a little sheepish.

“Hey.” She gave him a lazy smile.

“Hey,” he replied, his eyelids heavy.

Her eyes flicked down to his hands cupped over his cock and back up to him.

“What’cha got in your hands?” she asked, knowing full well what he had in his hands.

James blushed, still knelt over her like a statue, unable to move. “Just, pass me the tissues, okay? And don’t look.”

Shepard smiled despite herself, hauled herself out from under him and chucked the tissue box down. She made a show of fluffing her pillows and crawling under the covers, giving him a chance to clean himself up without an audience.

Once he was done, turned the light off, leaving them both in the dark before crawling in beside her.

“That was amazing,” James sighed, holding her close against his chest, mirroring their previous position. “You made the cutest faces. Was like you thought that since you couldn’t see me, I couldn’t see you. So you made all these faces that I don’t normally get to see.”

Shepard scoffed, giving him a light shove with her elbow. “Yeah? Well you make the most undignified whines when you’re about to come,” she replied. There was no heat to her retort though and James knew it, squeezing her and kissing the back of her neck.

“Love you too,” he replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Challenge DONE. I do have one last chapter to wrap up the three weeks, provided I can get it finished...


	23. Morning of departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! At the very end now. Thank you very much for reading and leaving kudos and comments :) Your enthusiasm has been wonderful.

For the first time in three weeks, James woke to the alarm. Leave over. Sure, he didn’t have to report back to his ship until eleven hundred. But still. Back to business.

“All right, all right. I’m awake,” he mumbled, rolling over and rubbing his eyes.

The VI shut up but the quiet didn’t last long. Shepard groaned, shifting and yawning.

“That time already, huh?” From the heaviness in her voice, she clearly meant more than just get up time.

Last day of leave was always miserable. They’d spent yesterday pottering around home, James reading up on his upcoming assignments, making sure his laundry was done and his private supply of snacks would last the duration of his deployment. Shepard hovered all day, pressing her head against his back, lying in his lap and reading his missions briefs, standing in the bedroom folding his Alliance briefs. Melancholy hung heavy in the air and neither of them were prepared to admit it.

This morning would be no different.

“Run or coffee?” Shepard asked.

“Coffee,” James replied. “Then a run.” He made to get up but Shepard pushed him back, hauling herself up instead.

While Shepard made way too much noise in the kitchen, James pulled himself up to sitting, leant back against the headboard. The eye mask from last night still sat on Shepard’s beside table. James grinned at the memory. Yeah, they’d done pretty well for themselves these last few weeks. Learned a bit about themselves and each other while having some of the best sex of their lives. And most awkward… But mostly great. Now they’d be apart for six months.

Shepard stomped back into the bedroom with two mugs. Last decent coffee he’d get for six months too, he thought as he took the mug.

“I’m gonna check out that Reaper shit Hackett talked about,” Shepard said. “Might pop in on Tali, too. You should come, if you can.”

Yeah, he might be able to swing that. He had to thank Tali, after all, for sending him this challenge. Be nice to give her those flowers in person. Maybe a crate or two of dextro booze.

“Been a wild few weeks.” She sounded so deflated. James turned to look at her. She stared ahead, eyes glazed, mug to her lips.

He bumped her shoulder. “Hey, come on. One more tour and then it’s Christmas. K’s invited us up to the Orchard. Fancy doing it in every room? His ma has that fireplace. What d’you say? Bang on the rug in front of an open fire? Feed each other toasted marshmallows?”

Shepard laughed half-hearted. “Yeah, yeah that sounds great.”

“What was your favourite?” James asked in an attempt to keep her distracted from her own thoughts.

Shepard hummed, her cheeks turning a shade darker. She met his eyes then looked away again. “Anal,” she said into her mug.

“Oh, really? Come full circle huh?” He prised her mug out from her hands and set it down, kissed her neck, dragged his hand over her belly. “Wanna try it again?”

“Uh huh,” Shepard smiled, leaned into James’ touch. “But… your turn.”

James grinned, ran his hand down her back, over the swell of her ass. She let him roll her over so he could lean in and kiss his way down her chest, eyes meeting with a secret sparkle, a language only they spoke.

He ignored the clock, refused to acknowledge that time even existed as he slowly explored Shepard, following that path he knew so well before drawing on recent experience to bring out those moans and shudders he loved so much. Oh, and the gasp that escaped her throat as he eased in. Shepard arched her back, fingers clawing at the sheets, heels pressing into the small of his back. He’d fix this moment in his mind, take the feeling with him across the galaxy. He’d replay the memory, alone in the Captain’s cabin of his ship, Lola far away on her own mission. The way she stared at him now, eyes dark, searching his face, he thought she might be committing the scene to memory too.

Her hands found his back, nails dragging up, fingers curling around his neck, pulling him down, urging him on, hot words in his ear, encouragement and damnation all rolled into one endless stream as he thrust hard into Shepard, lips on her neck, hands gripping her shoulders until the feeling was all too much. He hit his peak, groaned into her neck as he found his release, tight and hot, deep within the body of this woman he loved so much.

White noise roared through his ears as he lay still and tense over Shepard, unwilling to let go, wanting time to freeze them like this. Then Shepard laughed. Of course she laughed. The shudder from under him shook the roar away, let her giggly, hiccup laugh filter through.

He pulled out, planting a kiss to Shepard’s belly, then lay back, breathless and sweaty. Both silent save for their panting. As his heartbeat slowed, the intensity of the moment fizzled away, bringing James back to reality.

Shepard twisted, hand grabbing James’. “Time for that run?” she teased.

James turned his attention from the ceiling to Shepard. “No way, Lola. We’re gonna have a shower, then breakfast. Then we’re doing _my_ favourite.”


End file.
